Phil Jones

Professor Phil Jones serves as a Senior Group Leader at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Professor of Cancer Development at the University of Cambridge, with additional clinical responsibilities as a Consultant in Medical Oncology at Addenbrooke's Hospital. His research focuses on understanding how normal cell behavior is altered by mutation during aging and early cancer development.

Dr. Jones's laboratory investigates mutations in normal skin epidermis and oesophageal lining, which accumulate significant mutation burdens by middle age. His research program centers on three key areas: mutations in normal tissues, how mutant cells take over normal tissues, and tracking mutant cell behavior. His team employs deep sequencing of human tissues combined with transgenic mouse models, 3D culture methods, gene editing, live imaging, and single-cell analysis.

A significant finding from his work reveals that normal tissues are extensively colonized by mutant cells, with some mutations increasing cancer risk while others may decrease it. Current research focuses on redirecting evolutionary selection to reduce the burden of deleterious mutations, with potential implications for cancer prevention strategies.