Laundette P. Jones, PhD, MPH

• Morgan State University, BS, Chemistry, 1992
• Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, PhD, Environmental Health Sciences, 2000
• National Cancer Institute, NIH, Postdoctoral study, Laboratory of Experimental Carcinogenesis, 2001
• Georgetown University, Lombardi Cancer Center, Postdoctoral Study, Tumor Biology 2005
• University of Maryland, Baltimore, MPH, Community and Population Health, 2018

Dr. Laundette Jones is a transdisciplinary biosocial researcher whose work focuses on creating the conditions under which equitable, community-engaged health research and education can thrive. Her scholarship bridges environmental health sciences, cancer biology, and participatory education to prepare learners and institutions for authentic partnership with communities.

Trained in both the molecular mechanisms of cancer and population and community health, Dr. Jones brings a unique ability to connect discoveries at the cellular level with lived community contexts. For more than 15 years, she led a research laboratory investigating genetic and environmental risk factors for breast cancer, including internationally recognized work on BRCA1 mutations, hormone regulation, and cancer susceptibility. This foundation now informs her leadership in developing community-engaged research infrastructure that strengthens relevance, rigor, and sustainability.

A central focus of her work is Community-Engaged Interprofessional Education (CEIPE), which she studies and advances as a research-readiness pathway that builds relational and participatory capacity before research begins. Through these efforts, she partners with communities, scientists, and students to co-teach and co-learn, creating learning and research environments grounded in shared experience and community wisdom.

Shaped by early experiences of economic hardship, housing instability, and community generosity, Dr. Jones approaches her work with humility and a commitment to bridge-building—guided by the belief that the care we receive becomes the care we are called to extend. Across her roles in research, education, and leadership, she is committed to strengthening the health knowledge ecosystem and advancing equitable, community-rooted approaches to cancer and chronic disease research.

Cancer Equity; Community-Engaged Scholarship; Participatory Health Research; Interprofessional Education; Professional Formation; Research Readiness; Health Equity; Workforce Development; Environmental Determinants of Health

1. Jones LP, Buelto D, Tago E, Owusu-Boaitey KE. Abnormal Mammary Adipose Tissue Environment of Brca1 Mutant Mice Show a Persistent Deposition of Highly Vascularized Multilocular Adipocytes. J Cancer Sci Ther. 2011 Dec 8;(Suppl 2). doi: 10.4172/1948-5956.s2-004. PubMed PMID: 24501658; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3851023.
2. Sigl V^#, Owusu-Boaitey K^#, Joshi PA, Kavirayani A, Wirnsberger G, Novatchkova M, Kozieradzki I, Schramek D, Edokobi N, Hersl J, Sampson A, Odai-Afotey A, Lazaro C, Gonzalez-Suarez E, Pujana MA, Cimba F, Heyn H, Vidal E, Cruickshank J, Berman H, Sarao R, Ticevic M, Uribesalgo I, Tortola L, Rao S, Tan Y, Pfeiler G, Lee EY, Bago-Horvath Z, Kenner L, Popper H, Singer C, Khokha R, Jones LP^#, Penninger^#. JM. RANKL/RANK control Brca1 mutation-driven tumors. Cell Res. 2016 Jul;26(7):761-74. doi: 10.1038/cr.2016.69. Epub 2016 May 31. PubMed PMID: 27241552; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5129883. ^#Contributed equally.
3. Sharmeen, A, Perry, C, Archie, C, Archie Jr, U, Edwards, L, & Jones, LP (2023). Perspectives on Benefits and Challenges to Developing a Co-Teaching and Co-Learning Exchange between Community and Academic Partners. Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action, 17(2), 227-232.
4. Vucenik I, Jones LP and McLenithan JC. Metabolic Syndrome: A Comprehensive Textbook – Contribution: Linking Obesity, Metabolism and Cancer. Rexford S. Ahima, Eds. Cham; Springer International Publishing: Imprint: Springer, 2^nd, 2024, 603-620.
5. Burduladze, N, Jones, LP, Jones, BD, Msowoya, U, Salsberg, J, Whitney, A, & Gilfoyle, M (2024). Exploring power and power sharing in participatory health research partnerships: A scoping review protocol. Plos one, 19(7), e0303799.