Keith T Jones Bsc, Phd

Biography

Professor Keith T Jones is Head of Biological Sciences at the University of Southampton. Career history 2013-present: Head of Biological Sciences. University of Southampton, UK. 2013-present: Professor in Cell Biology. University of Southampton, UK. 2008-present: Conjoint Professorship. Chinese Academy of Sciences. Institute of Zoology. 2013-present: Adjunct Professor of Physiology. University of Newcastle. Australia. 2008-2012: Professor in Human Physiology. School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, & Co-Director of the Priority Research Centre in Reproductive Biology, University of Newcastle, Australia. 2005-2008: Personal Chair in Reproductive Physiology. Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. 2005: Reader in Reproductive Physiology. Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.Academic qualifications 1994: PhD. University of Liverpool, UK. 1989: BSc Biochemistry (First Class Honours). University of Leeds, UK.

Research Interest

Oocytes are large single cells that have been used in many aspects of cell biology to uncover how cells work. My laboratory is concerned with how the process of meiosis happens in order to produce a healthy mature egg that is capable of being fertilized by the sperm at fertilization. In many species including our own meiosis lasts decades because it is punctuated by a protracted arrest in prophase. Hormonal signals cause meiotic resumption and completion of the first meiotic division, and the oocyte is then ovulated arrested at metaphase of the second meiotic division. A calcium signal at fertilization drives completion of the second meiotic division. We are concerned with the events going on inside the oocyte that are responsible for these stops and starts of the cell cycle.