Dr. Darin Jones is an associate professor and graduate coordinator in the Department of Chemistry. His research primarily focuses on medicinal chemistry and chemical biology.
One of Jones’ research projects focuses on Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, which causes white blood cell precursors (myeloid cells) to divide uncontrollably. These abnormal cells eventually overcrowd red blood cells, normal white blood cells, and platelets. Jones and his researchers have discovered that the dehydroleucodine molecule–found in an ornamental shrub naturally grown in Ecuador–can help treat AML and related diseases. This project received national attention after Jones received a $50,000 grant from the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority. Another of Jones’ research projects on DNA repair processes was awarded a National Cancer Institute/National Institute of Health R01 research grant. Darin and his research team developed two unique classes of compounds that selectively kill cancer cells with little to no effect on non-cancerous cells.
Jones has also been awarded numerous grants as principal investigator or co-principal investigator. He has collaborated on grants with faculty from various institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Cornell, University of California-Berkeley, the University of Montreal, and the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, just to name a few. In total, he has received over $16 million dollars as either principal or co-principal investigator. Jones’ extensive body of work includes more than 40 books, patents, and prestigious research journals.
Jones received a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Missouri and a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Central Missouri State University.