Dr Gareth Jones
- Clinical Senior Research Fellow (Immunology & Infection)
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7355-2357Biography
Gareth trained in Medicine in Aberdeen before undertaking core medical training in Glasgow, where his gastroenterology research career started with Professor Ken McColl.
He then worked in Edinburgh IBD unit for 15 years, including a Wellcome Trust funded PhD under the Edinburgh Clinical Academic Training (ECAT) scheme with Professor Andrew MacDonald and Professor Adrian Bird, investigating the role of DNA-methyl binding proteins in murine models of colitis, based at Manchester Centre for Collaborative Inflammation Research (MCCIR).
Next, Gareth performed post-doctoral research with Professor Charlie Lees, leading the development of The Lothian IBD registry before being awarded a European Crohn’s Colitis Organisation (ECCO) Science Award and Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Career Development Fellowship in 2018/19 to investigate macrophage heterogeneity in Crohn’s disease.
He is now a new group leader in human gut immunology, focusing on the dual role of myeloid cells as instigators of both barrier damage and barrier repair in IBD, and also the clinician forum representative to the British Society for Immunology, working closely with international collaborators, including Carl Anderson (Sanger Institute), Bill Agace (University of Copenhagen) and James Lee (The Francis Crick Institute) to further understanding of the biology of IBD.
Publications
2021
McCowan, J. et al. (2021) The transcription factor EGR2 is indispensable for tissue-specific imprinting of alveolar macrophages in health and tissue repair. Science Immunology, 6(65), eabj2132. (doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abj2132) (PMID:34797692) (PMCID:PMC7612216)
2020
Kennedy, N. A. et al. (2020) British Society of Gastroenterology guidance for management of inflammatory bowel disease during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gut, 69(6), pp. 984-990. (doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2020-321244) (PMID:32303607) (PMCID:PMC7211081)
2019
Plevris, N. et al. (2019) Real-world effectiveness and safety of Vedolizumab for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease: The Scottish Vedolizumab Cohort. Journal of Crohn's and Colitis, 13(9), pp. 1111-1120. (doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjz042) (PMID:30768123)
2018
Jones, Gareth-Rhys 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7355-2357, Bain, Calum C., Fenton, Thomas M., Kelly, Aoife, Brown, Sheila L., Ivens, Alasdair C., Travis, Mark A., Cook, Peter C. and MacDonald, Andrew S.
(2018)
Dynamics of colon monocyte and macrophage activation during colitis.
Frontiers in Immunology, 9,
2764.
(doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02764)
(PMID:30542349)
(PMCID:PMC6277765)
May, S. et al. (2018) Mbd2 enables tumourigenesis within the intestine while preventing tumour-promoting inflammation. Journal of Pathology, 245(3), pp. 270-282. (doi: 10.1002/path.5074) (PMID:29603746) (PMCID:PMC6032908)
2015
Cook, P. C. et al. (2015) A dominant role for the methyl-CpG-binding protein Mbd2 in controlling Th2 induction by dendritic cells. Nature Communications, 6, 6920. (doi: 10.1038/ncomms7920) (PMID:25908537) (PMCID:PMC4413429)
2014
Heap, G. A. et al. (2014) HLA-DQA1–HLA-DRB1 variants confer susceptibility to pancreatitis induced by thiopurine immunosuppressants. Nature Genetics, 46(10), pp. 1131-1134. (doi: 10.1038/ng.3093) (PMID:25217962)
Jones, G.R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7355-2357, Kennedy, N. A., Lees, C. W., Arnott, I. D. and Satsangi, J.
(2014)
Systematic review: the use of thiopurines or anti‐ TNF in post‐operative Crohn's disease maintenance – progress and prospects.
Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 39(11),
pp. 1253-1265.
(doi: 10.1111/apt.12743)
2012
Derakhshan, M.H., Robertson, E.V., Fletcher, J., Jones, G.-R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7355-2357, Lee, Y.Y., Wirz, A.A. and McColl, K.E.L.
(2012)
Mechanism of association between BMI and dysfunction of the gastro-oesophageal barrier in patients with normal endoscopy.
Gut, 61(3),
pp. 337-343.
(doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2011-300633)
(PMID:21873737)
2011
Fletcher, J., Derakhshan, M.H., Jones, G.-R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7355-2357, Wirz, A.A. and McColl, K.E.L.
(2011)
BMI is superior to symptoms in predicting response to proton pump inhibitor: randomised trial in patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms and normal endoscopy.
Gut, 60(4),
pp. 442-448.
(doi: 10.1136/gut.2010.228064)
(PMID:21159892)
Articles
McCowan, J. et al. (2021) The transcription factor EGR2 is indispensable for tissue-specific imprinting of alveolar macrophages in health and tissue repair. Science Immunology, 6(65), eabj2132. (doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abj2132) (PMID:34797692) (PMCID:PMC7612216)
Kennedy, N. A. et al. (2020) British Society of Gastroenterology guidance for management of inflammatory bowel disease during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gut, 69(6), pp. 984-990. (doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2020-321244) (PMID:32303607) (PMCID:PMC7211081)
Plevris, N. et al. (2019) Real-world effectiveness and safety of Vedolizumab for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease: The Scottish Vedolizumab Cohort. Journal of Crohn's and Colitis, 13(9), pp. 1111-1120. (doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjz042) (PMID:30768123)
Jones, Gareth-Rhys ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7355-2357, Bain, Calum C., Fenton, Thomas M., Kelly, Aoife, Brown, Sheila L., Ivens, Alasdair C., Travis, Mark A., Cook, Peter C. and MacDonald, Andrew S.
(2018)
Dynamics of colon monocyte and macrophage activation during colitis.
Frontiers in Immunology, 9,
2764.
(doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02764)
(PMID:30542349)
(PMCID:PMC6277765)
May, S. et al. (2018) Mbd2 enables tumourigenesis within the intestine while preventing tumour-promoting inflammation. Journal of Pathology, 245(3), pp. 270-282. (doi: 10.1002/path.5074) (PMID:29603746) (PMCID:PMC6032908)
Cook, P. C. et al. (2015) A dominant role for the methyl-CpG-binding protein Mbd2 in controlling Th2 induction by dendritic cells. Nature Communications, 6, 6920. (doi: 10.1038/ncomms7920) (PMID:25908537) (PMCID:PMC4413429)
Heap, G. A. et al. (2014) HLA-DQA1–HLA-DRB1 variants confer susceptibility to pancreatitis induced by thiopurine immunosuppressants. Nature Genetics, 46(10), pp. 1131-1134. (doi: 10.1038/ng.3093) (PMID:25217962)
Jones, G.R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7355-2357, Kennedy, N. A., Lees, C. W., Arnott, I. D. and Satsangi, J.
(2014)
Systematic review: the use of thiopurines or anti‐ TNF in post‐operative Crohn's disease maintenance – progress and prospects.
Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 39(11),
pp. 1253-1265.
(doi: 10.1111/apt.12743)
Derakhshan, M.H., Robertson, E.V., Fletcher, J., Jones, G.-R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7355-2357, Lee, Y.Y., Wirz, A.A. and McColl, K.E.L.
(2012)
Mechanism of association between BMI and dysfunction of the gastro-oesophageal barrier in patients with normal endoscopy.
Gut, 61(3),
pp. 337-343.
(doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2011-300633)
(PMID:21873737)
Fletcher, J., Derakhshan, M.H., Jones, G.-R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7355-2357, Wirz, A.A. and McColl, K.E.L.
(2011)
BMI is superior to symptoms in predicting response to proton pump inhibitor: randomised trial in patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms and normal endoscopy.
Gut, 60(4),
pp. 442-448.
(doi: 10.1136/gut.2010.228064)
(PMID:21159892)
Prior publications
Article
Lindsay Hracs et al. (2025) Global evolution of inflammatory bowel disease across epidemiologic stages Nature Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1476-4687 (doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-08940-0)
Beatriz Gros, Nathan Constantine-Cooke, Jake Kennedy, Alexander T Elford, Claire O'Hare, Colin Noble, Gareth-Rhys Jones, Ian D Arnott, Charlie W Lees, Nikolas Plevris (2025) Tofacitinib Versus Vedolizumab Among Bio-naive Patients With Ulcerative Colitis: A Real-World Propensity-Weighted Comparison Journal of Crohn's & colitis Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1876-4479 (doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjae188)
Alexander T Elford et al. (2025) Twenty-Year Trends in Colectomy Rates and Advanced Therapy Prescribing in Lothian, Scotland Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1365-2036 (doi: 10.1111/apt.70240)
Zhigang Liu et al. (2024) Antibody Responses to Influenza Vaccination are Diminished in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease on Infliximab or Tofacitinib Journal of Crohn's & colitis Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1876-4479 (doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjad182)
Rebecca K Grant et al. (2024) Validation of the ACE [Albumin, CRP, and Endoscopy] Index in Acute Colitis: Analysis of the CONSTRUCT dataset Journal of Crohn's & colitis Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1876-4479 (doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjad148)
John G McKendrick et al. (2023) CSF1R-dependent macrophages in the salivary gland are essential for epithelial regeneration after radiation-induced injury Science immunology Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 2470-9468 (doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.add4374)
Zhigang Liu, James L Alexander, Kathy Weitung Lin, Tariq Ahmad, Katrina M Pollock, Nick Powell (2023) Infliximab and Tofacitinib Attenuate Neutralizing Antibody Responses Against SARS-CoV-2 Ancestral and Omicron Variants in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients After 3 Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Gastroenterology Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1528-0012 (doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2022.10.010)
Nathan Constantine-Cooke, Karla Monterrubio-G\a'omez, Nikolas Plevris, Lauranne A A P Derikx, Beatriz Gros, Gareth-Rhys Jones, Riccardo E Marioni, Charlie W Lees, Catalina A Vallejos (2023) Longitudinal Fecal Calprotectin Profiles Characterize Disease Course Heterogeneity in Crohn's Disease Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1542-7714 (doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2023.03.026)
Lizi M Hegarty, Gareth-Rhys Jones, Calum C Bain (2023) Macrophages in intestinal homeostasis and inflammatory bowel disease Nature reviews. Gastroenterology & hepatology Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1759-5053 (doi: 10.1038/s41575-023-00769-0)
Beatriz Gros, Nikolas Plevris, Nathan Constantine-Cooke, Mathew Lyons, Claire O'Hare, Colin Noble, Ian D Arnott, Gareth-Rhys Jones, Charlie W Lees, Lauranne A A P Derikx (2023) Multiple infliximab biosimilar switches appear to be safe and effective in a real-world inflammatory bowel disease cohort United European gastroenterology journal Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 2050-6414 (doi: 10.1002/ueg2.12357)
Zhigang Liu et al. (2023) Neutralising antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.4/5 and wild-type virus in patients with inflammatory bowel disease following three doses of COVID-19 vaccine (VIP): a prospective, multicentre, cohort study EClinicalMedicine Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 2589-5370 (doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102249)
Lauranne A A P Derikx et al. (2023) Rates, predictive factors and effectiveness of ustekinumab intensification to 4- or 6-weekly intervals in Crohn's disease Digestive and liver disease : official journal of the Italian Society of Gastroenterology and the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1878-3562 (doi: 10.1016/j.dld.2022.10.002)
Rebecca K Grant, William M Brindle, Andrew J Robertson, Alexander R Robertson, Gareth-Rhys Jones, Kathryn J Kirkwood, Paul W Fineron, Ian D R Arnott (2022) Incidence of collagenous colitis in NHS Lothian: a population-based study Frontline gastroenterology Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 2041-4137 (doi: 10.1136/flgastro-2020-101745)
James L Alexander et al. (2022) COVID-19 vaccine-induced antibody and T-cell responses in immunosuppressed patients with inflammatory bowel disease after the third vaccine dose (VIP): a multicentre, prospective, case-control study The lancet. Gastroenterology & hepatology Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 2468-1253 (doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(22)00274-6)
James L Alexander et al. (2022) COVID-19 vaccine-induced antibody responses in immunosuppressed patients with inflammatory bowel disease (VIP): a multicentre, prospective, case-control study The lancet. Gastroenterology & hepatology Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 2468-1253 (doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(22)00005-X)
Mathew Lyons et al. (2022) Patterns of emergency admission for IBD patients over the last 10 years in Lothian, Scotland: a retrospective prevalent cohort analysis Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1365-2036 (doi: 10.1111/apt.16867)
Laura A Lucaciu, Nathan Constantine-Cooke, Nikolas Plevris, Spyros Siakavellas, Lauranne A A P Derikx, Gareth-Rhys Jones, Charles W Lees (2021) Real-world experience with tofacitinib in ulcerative colitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis Therapeutic advances in gastroenterology Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1756-283X (doi: 10.1177/17562848211064004)
Philip W Jenkinson et al. (2021) Analysis of colectomy rates for ulcerative colitis in pre- and postbiological eras in Lothian, Scotland Colorectal disease : the official journal of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1463-1318 (doi: 10.1111/codi.15491)
Lauranne A A P Derikx et al. (2021) Effectiveness and Safety of Adalimumab Biosimilar SB5 in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Outcomes in Originator to SB5 Switch, Double Biosimilar Switch and Bio-Naïve SB5 Observational Cohorts Journal of Crohn's & colitis Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1876-4479 (doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjab100)
Christopher A Lamb et al. (2021) Letter: risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes associated with inflammatory bowel disease medications-reassuring insights from the United Kingdom PREPARE-IBD multicentre cohort study Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1365-2036 (doi: 10.1111/apt.16349)
Nikolas Plevris et al. (2021) Normalization of Fecal Calprotectin Within 12 Months of Diagnosis Is Associated With Reduced Risk of Disease Progression in Patients With Crohn's Disease Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1542-7714 (doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2020.08.022)
Nikolas Plevris et al. (2021) Real-world effectiveness and safety of ustekinumab for the treatment of Crohn's disease: the Scottish ustekinumab cohort Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1440-1746 (doi: 10.1111/jgh.15390)
Rebecca K Grant et al. (2021) The ACE (Albumin, CRP and Endoscopy) Index in Acute Colitis: A Simple Clinical Index on Admission that Predicts Outcome in Patients With Acute Ulcerative Colitis Inflammatory bowel diseases Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1536-4844 (doi: 10.1093/ibd/izaa088)
Gareth-Rhys Jones, Sheila L Brown, Alexander T Phythian-Adams, Alasdair C Ivens, Peter C Cook, Andrew S MacDonald (2020) The Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein Mbd2 Regulates Susceptibility to Experimental Colitis via Control of CD11c+ Cells and Colonic Epithelium Frontiers in immunology Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1664-3224 (doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00183)
Nikolas Plevris, Philip W Jenkinson, Cher S Chuah, Mathew Lyons, Lynne M Merchant, Rebecca J Pattenden, Ian D Arnott, Gareth R Jones, Charlie W Lees (2020) Association of trough vedolizumab levels with clinical, biological and endoscopic outcomes during maintenance therapy in inflammatory bowel disease Frontline gastroenterology Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 2041-4137 (doi: 10.1136/flgastro-2019-101197)
Aleksejs Sazonovs et al. (2020) HLA-DQA1*05 Carriage Associated With Development of Anti-Drug Antibodies to Infliximab and Adalimumab in Patients With Crohn's Disease Gastroenterology Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1528-0012 (doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2019.09.041)
Nikolas Plevris, Philip W Jenkinson, Ian D Arnott, Gareth R Jones, Charlie W Lees (2020) Higher anti-tumor necrosis factor levels are associated with perianal fistula healing and fistula closure in Crohn's disease European journal of gastroenterology & hepatology Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1473-5687 (doi: 10.1097/MEG.0000000000001561)
Christopher J Burgess, Paul Henderson, Gareth-Rhys Jones, Charlie W Lees, David C Wilson (2020) Paediatric Patients (Less Than Age of 17 Years) Account for Less Than 1.5% of All Prevalent Inflammatory Bowel Disease Cases Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1536-4801 (doi: 10.1097/MPG.0000000000002842)
P W Jenkinson, N Plevris, S Siakavellas, M Lyons, I D Arnott, D Wilson, A J M Watson, G-R Jones, C W Lees (2020) Temporal Trends in Surgical Resection Rates and Biologic Prescribing in Crohn's Disease: A Population-based Cohort Study Journal of Crohn's & colitis Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1876-4479 (doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjaa044)
Nicholas A Kennedy, Gareth-Rhys Jones, Nikolas Plevris, Rebecca Patenden, Ian D Arnott, Charlie W Lees (2019) Association Between Level of Fecal Calprotectin and Progression of Crohn's Disease Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1542-7714 (doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2019.02.017)
William T Clarke, Joseph D Feuerstein (2019) Colorectal cancer surveillance in inflammatory bowel disease: Practice guidelines and recent developments World journal of gastroenterology Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 2219-2840 (doi: 10.3748/wjg.v25.i30.4148)
G R Jones, F Fasc\a`ı-Spurio, N A Kennedy, N Plevris, P Jenkinson, M Lyons, L Wong, P MacLean, S Glancy, C W Lees (2019) Faecal Calprotectin and Magnetic Resonance Enterography in Ileal Crohn's Disease: Correlations Between Disease Activity and Long-Term Follow-Up Journal of Crohn's & colitis Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1876-4479 (doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjy187)
Nikolas Plevris et al. (2019) Higher Adalimumab Drug Levels During Maintenance Therapy for Crohn's Disease Are Associated With Biologic Remission Inflammatory bowel diseases Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1536-4844 (doi: 10.1093/ibd/izy320)
Gareth-Rhys Jones et al. (2019) IBD prevalence in Lothian, Scotland, derived by capture-recapture methodology Gut Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1468-3288 (doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2019-318936)
Nikolas Plevris et al. (2019) Implementation of CT-P13 via a Managed Switch Programme in Crohn's Disease: 12-Month Real-World Outcomes Digestive diseases and sciences Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 1573-2568 (doi: 10.1007/s10620-018-5406-8)
Nicholas A Kennedy et al. (2019) Predictors of anti-TNF treatment failure in anti-TNF-naive patients with active luminal Crohn's disease: a prospective, multicentre, cohort study The lancet. Gastroenterology & hepatology Gareth-Rhys Jones. ISSN 2468-1253 (doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(19)30012-3)
