Memorial Hospital Research Laboratories
The David Jones Lab
Research
The primary reason people die from cancer is the development of metastatic disease. As a surgeon-scientist who cares for patients with earlier stage lung and esophageal cancer, my laboratory studies why patients with completely resected cancer still develop metastases and die. We focus on a class of genes known as metastasis suppressor genes and, in particular, breast cancer metastasis suppressor I (BRMS1). We have identified important functions of BRMS1 as a transcriptional repressor, an E3 ligase, and a mediator of RelA/p65 transcription in lung cancer. We investigate BRMS1-mediated suppression of metastases in p53mut lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), as well as the identification of a novel germline point mutation of BRMS1 variant 2, a pro-metastatic variant. Currently, we are exploring the role of the tumor immune microenvironment in BRMS1-loss tumors. Our lab is also examining tumor genomics in early stage LUAD and has built a comprehensive clinically- and genomically-annotated database. Our recent focus is LUAD organotropism, or the preferential metastasis to specific organ sites, and we have identified specific mutations that drive site-specific metastasis of LUAD. Over the past several years, we have established a large patient-derived organoid (PDO) program to explore the biology of metastases and related therapies in vitro and in novel mouse models of metastases. Finally, we have initiated a prospective study examining the role of tumor-related exosomes and extravesical particles in the development of metastases in operable lung cancer patients. Collectively, the goal of my laboratory is to understand the biology of metastases in early-stage lung and esophageal cancer and develop therapies to mitigate this deadly process.
Research Projects
People
David R. Jones, MD
- Physician-scientist David R. Jones studies molecular mechanisms governing the development of metastases in lung and esophageal cancers.
- [email protected]
- Email Address
- 212-639-6428
- Office Phone
- View physician profile
- Physician profile
Members
Research Fellow
Research Fellow
Research Fellow
Research Fellow
Research Fellow
Associate Attending Biochemistry
Computational Biologist Il
Lab Alumni
Research Scholar
Research Assistant
Research Fellow
Research Fellow
Research Fellow
Research Fellow
Research Fellow
Research Fellow
Research Fellow
Research Fellow
Visiting Investigator
Visiting Investigator
Research Scholar
Lab Affiliations
Achievements
- President, American Association for Thoracic Surgery 2024-2025
- AACR Career Development Award for Translational Research in Lung Cancer 2001
- Member, Tumor Progression and Metastases Study Section NCI; 2010-16 (Chair 2014-16)
- Co-Director, Fiona and Stanley Druckenmiller Center for Lung Cancer Research, MSKCC
- Castle Connolly Top Doctors for Cancer 2010-present