Simon Jones

Professor Simon Jones is a distinguished academic at Cardiff University, serving as Dean of Research for the School of Medicine, Co-Director of the Systems Immunity Research Institute, and Research Theme Lead for Infection, Inflammation & Immunity. He is a Professor of Inflammation Biology with over 130 scientific publications and significant contributions to cytokine research.

Dr. Jones earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Bristol (1990-1993) with supervisors Professor O.T.G. Jones and Dr. N. Topley, following his B.Sc. in Applied Biological Sciences (2.i Hons.) from Bristol Polytechnic (1986-1990). His academic journey includes prestigious fellowships at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (1996-1998) and the University of Bern, Switzerland (1994-1996).

Professor Jones's research focuses on how cytokine signals shape inflammation, promote disease heterogeneity, and affect treatment outcomes. His work has made two major contributions: (1) identifying IL-6 trans-signalling as a determinant of disease progression, describing how interleukin-6 activities requiring the soluble IL-6 receptor promote communication between stromal tissues and recruited leukocytes; and (2) defining how IL-6 cytokines steer chronic disease, showing how the Jak-STAT pathway affects disease progression in rheumatoid arthritis and promotes treatment failure in renal patients on peritoneal dialysis.

Analysis of Professor Jones's recent publications reveals a strong focus on IL-6 signaling pathways, their role in inflammation and disease progression, and potential therapeutic interventions. His work spans immunology, rheumatology, cardiology, and infectious disease, with particular emphasis on translational research connecting basic science to clinical applications. Recurring themes include cytokine signaling mechanisms, inflammation regulation, and development of targeted therapies for chronic inflammatory conditions.

• The 2004 Bolzmann Award (presented by the International Cytokine Society and the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research)
• Fellow of The Royal Society of Biology (June 2015)
• Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales
• Member of the Academia Europaea

Professor Jones has served on numerous grant panels including the Royal Irish Academy Early Entry Grant Panel, Arthritis Research UK committees, and Health & Care Research Wales committees. He has advised multiple PhD students and has been involved in significant research collaborations with pharmaceutical companies including Roche, Genentech, Glaxo-Smith-Kline, and Johnson & Johnson. His leadership roles include chairing the REF Planning Committee and serving on the Wellcome Trust ISSF Board.

Professor Jones leads research within the Systems Immunity Research Institute and the Cardiff Regional Experimental Arthritis Treatment Centre. His work involves multiple research teams focusing on inflammation biology, cytokine signaling, and translational immunology. He also serves on the Governance Committee for the Human Tissue Bank (Kidney) and is active in the Arthritis Research UK Centre of Excellence.