Christopher Jones (biologist)
Encyclopedia
Christopher Jones is an American naturalist
with a strong interest in health economics, particularly as it applies to pharmaceuticals and medical devices. In early 2003, he presented a report - first to then-British Chancellor Gordon Brown
and then in the House of Commons, that led to policy changes to the maximum allowable number of transferred embryos during the course of a woman's in vitro fertilisation
treatment. The Times in London reported that Jones' report induced immediate action by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
but divided fertility doctors: half viewed this as a good policy from a public health vantage point, the other half viewed the move as over-regulation in personal affairs. Regardless, Jones showed in a co-authored letter that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine
that twins are six-times more likely to occur following in vitro fertilisation, compared with natural conceptions, even when only one embryo was implanted. This led to cost-reductions to the National Health Services of GBP 60 million per year that would otherwise have been spent on ineffective treatments or neonatal intensive care due to excessive numbers of multiple births. He was appointed director of bilateral collaborations at the Center for Study of Multiple Birth, a non-profit devoted entirely to research into the health of multiples. Although few had heard of such a trend in 2003, Jones predicted and found that medical tourism
and more particularly reproductive tourism away from the United Kingdom, along with an epidemic of multiple births, would be the likely results of fertility regulation.
and evolution in classes taught by Richard D. Alexander
.
From 1999, Jones matriculated in Christ Church
, Oxford University earning two post-graduate degrees, starting with a Master's in Human Biology. While at Christ Church, he was elected variously to Social Secretary of the Graduate Common Room and Master of the Hawks
in the Hood and Bell Club. From 2002 to 2005 he was president of Oxford's controversial banking forum. This forum brought international financial services leaders from around the world to discuss frank academic issues. Attendees included Nobel Laureate Robert Mundell, inventor of the currency known as the Euro. During the Oxford years, Jones won a fellowship from the Bertarelli Foundation in Switzerland, created by Ernesto Bertarelli
, to develop a cost-effective framework of fertility treatment that would preserve the dignity of human life. After earning his doctorate in health economics/medical sciences from Oxford, he became a faculty member at the Johns Hopkins University
School of Public Health.
to economics
, arriving in 1999 at something called health economics
which had been in development for nearly twenty years but which as a field of natural science, remains in its infancy. He made headlines in investor news with the launch of his online take-home baby calculator, called For My Odds.
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
with a strong interest in health economics, particularly as it applies to pharmaceuticals and medical devices. In early 2003, he presented a report - first to then-British Chancellor Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
and then in the House of Commons, that led to policy changes to the maximum allowable number of transferred embryos during the course of a woman's in vitro fertilisation
In vitro fertilisation
In vitro fertilisation is a process by which egg cells are fertilised by sperm outside the body: in vitro. IVF is a major treatment in infertility when other methods of assisted reproductive technology have failed...
treatment. The Times in London reported that Jones' report induced immediate action by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is a statutory body in the United Kingdom that regulates and inspects all UK clinics providing in vitro fertilisation, artificial insemination and the storage of human eggs, sperm or embryos. It also regulates Human Embryo research...
but divided fertility doctors: half viewed this as a good policy from a public health vantage point, the other half viewed the move as over-regulation in personal affairs. Regardless, Jones showed in a co-authored letter that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine
New England Journal of Medicine
The New England Journal of Medicine is an English-language peer-reviewed medical journal published by the Massachusetts Medical Society. It describes itself as the oldest continuously published medical journal in the world.-History:...
that twins are six-times more likely to occur following in vitro fertilisation, compared with natural conceptions, even when only one embryo was implanted. This led to cost-reductions to the National Health Services of GBP 60 million per year that would otherwise have been spent on ineffective treatments or neonatal intensive care due to excessive numbers of multiple births. He was appointed director of bilateral collaborations at the Center for Study of Multiple Birth, a non-profit devoted entirely to research into the health of multiples. Although few had heard of such a trend in 2003, Jones predicted and found that medical tourism
Medical tourism
Medical tourism is a term initially coined by travel agencies and the mass media to describe the rapidly-growing practice of travelling across international borders to obtain health care...
and more particularly reproductive tourism away from the United Kingdom, along with an epidemic of multiple births, would be the likely results of fertility regulation.
Biography
Jones earned a bachelor's degree with distinction in biology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 1999, where he studied genetics and chronic disease under the supervision of James V. NeelJames V. Neel
James Van Gundia Neel was an American geneticist who played a key role in the development of human genetics as a field of research in the United States. He made important contributions to the emergence of genetic epidemiology and pursued an understanding of the influence of environment on genes...
and evolution in classes taught by Richard D. Alexander
Richard D. Alexander
Richard D. Alexander is an Emeritus Professor and Emeritus Curator of Insects at the Museum of Zoology of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. Prof...
.
From 1999, Jones matriculated in Christ Church
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, Oxford University earning two post-graduate degrees, starting with a Master's in Human Biology. While at Christ Church, he was elected variously to Social Secretary of the Graduate Common Room and Master of the Hawks
Master of the Hawks
The office of Master of the Hawks was created on the English Restoration in 1660. During Charles II's reign, the Master's salary was £390 per annum ; in William III's reign, it was increased to £1500...
in the Hood and Bell Club. From 2002 to 2005 he was president of Oxford's controversial banking forum. This forum brought international financial services leaders from around the world to discuss frank academic issues. Attendees included Nobel Laureate Robert Mundell, inventor of the currency known as the Euro. During the Oxford years, Jones won a fellowship from the Bertarelli Foundation in Switzerland, created by Ernesto Bertarelli
Ernesto Bertarelli
Ernesto Bertarelli is a Swiss-Italian billionaire and entrepreneur.Together with his extended family, Bertarelli was ranked 81st in the 2011 annual ranking of the world's wealthiest people compiled and published by Forbes magazine, The family's wealth was estimated at US$10.0...
, to develop a cost-effective framework of fertility treatment that would preserve the dignity of human life. After earning his doctorate in health economics/medical sciences from Oxford, he became a faculty member at the Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
School of Public Health.
Patron of the Arts
Jones has taken sabbaticals from time to time to raise funds for his friends in the scientific and bohemian communities, to launch projects of profound scientific and intellectual merit. In 2000, with co-inventors Erik Westerman and Ozzie Johnston, Jones invented BUYTV the first mechanism to allow cable viewers to purchase goods and services through their television set, using a set top box. In 2008 Jones assisted his Motown friends to market the Martin Luther King Feature Film in the Gulf, starting in Dubai. Jones led Motown legend Mark Davis to a meeting with His Royal Highness Sheikh Saud of Ras El Khaimeh. In 2009 Jones led a British television delegation to visit His Royal Highness Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad in the Kingdom of Bahrain.Inventor
With another inventor and colleague, Jones owns a United States Patent for a novel way of freezing specimens, particularly mammalian embryos, and he continues to invent and license products to medical and conservation initiatives. He once joked with Edward DeBono that his cryogenic invention could create a market for "Faberge Embryos".Predictive Modeling
In 2010, Jones and his team of researchers published a paper describing a virtual tool to predict infertile women's chances of taking home a healthy baby, to an accuracy of 80%. Whereas previously researchers could only provide chances of pregnancy, this take-home baby calculator presents results in terms of a healthy baby who survives 27 days of life. By creating this software, Jones essentially created a novel business model, namely the translation of esoteric population-based data into meaningful recommendations to individual, data-savvy beneficiaries.Translator of population-based statistics
Jones was one of the early researchers to link reproductive biologyReproductive biology
Reproductive biology is a study mainly involving the reproductive system and sex organs. It is closely related to reproductive endocrinology and infertility. also is miotosis and miosis...
to economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, arriving in 1999 at something called health economics
Health economics
Health economics is a branch of economics concerned with issues related to efficiency, effectiveness, value and behavior in the production and consumption of health and health care...
which had been in development for nearly twenty years but which as a field of natural science, remains in its infancy. He made headlines in investor news with the launch of his online take-home baby calculator, called For My Odds.