U of T chemistry pioneer J. Bryan Jones honoured with endowed fellowship

Jan 6, 2026

A new scholarship will honour the life’s work of renowned U of T chemistry researcher, University Professor Emeritus J. Bryan Jones, thanks to a generous gift from Xiao Shang, a scientist he once mentored.

“U of T was a great experience,” says Shang, former postdoctoral fellow in Jones’ lab in the Department of Chemistry. “Bryan gave me direction and freedom to explore. He gave me guidance and trust – that’s what a great mentor does.”

Motivated by his desire to give back, Shang recently made a philanthropic gift to Arts & Science, endowing the J. Bryan Jones Distinguished Doctoral Fellowship in Chemistry. Funded in perpetuity, the scholarship will help to recruit exceptional graduate students and strengthen their vital research.

“I am sincerely thankful for this incredibly generous gift to create a graduate scholarship in my name,” says Jones. “My family and I were so pleased, flattered and surprised by the news. I am deeply touched and appreciative.”

“I won’t limit the direction in which this award is applied,” adds Shang. “Frontier science, exploratory science – you let it bloom, and it will bear fruit. That’s what a university is all about.”

The legacy of Jones’s research

Jones pioneered biocatalysis, using enzymes from bacteria and other organisms to build complex chemicals in the lab. Before his seminal work in the 1970s, producing compounds for some medicines, pest control and perfumes often required blazing temperatures and toxic chemicals. Jones replaced these energy-intensive reactions with cleaner, more sustainable alternatives.

“There is no aspect of modern life that is not totally reliant on chemistry,” says Jones, the recipient of many prestigious awards and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. “Considering advances in medicine, transportation and the fight against climate change, there has never been a more exciting time in our field.”

Bryan gave me direction and freedom to explore. He gave me guidance and trust – that’s what a great mentor does.

Jones’s breakthroughs using enzymes as practical catalysts for organic synthesis transformed chemical research and industry. There are now more than 400 commercial processes using biocatalysis to make everything from antibiotics to high-fructose corn syrup and stonewashed denim.

Bryan gave me direction and freedom to explore. He gave me guidance and trust – that’s what a great mentor does.

Born in North Wales, Jones earned his PhD at the University of Wales, Cardiff, then a DPhil at Oxford, followed by postdoctoral work at MIT and Caltech, where he first began working with enzymes.

Since joining U of T in 1963, Jones has published more than 200 papers, been granted 11 patent applications and supervised 136 undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, including Shang.

In Jones’s lab, Shang researched protein modification, a technique that would prove essential when he launched his own drug company. After U of T, he forged an impactful career in pharmaceutical chemistry, developing cancer treatments for Seattle Genetics. In 2020, he co-founded ProfoundBio, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing antibody-based cancer therapeutics.

Shang has dedicated his entire career to enabling healthy lives and addressing some of the world’s most pressing pharmaceutical needs.

Xiao Shang’s philanthropic gift to Arts & Science endowed the J. Bryan Jones Distinguished Doctoral Fellowship in Chemistry.

“Xiao was a fantastic postdoctoral fellow, and I felt so privileged to collaborate with him,” says Jones. “I have followed his terrific career, and I am so pleased. Few people ever achieve what he has done, and his success is well deserved.”

Another colleague who benefited from Jones’ mentorship, University Professor and department chair Mark Lautens, says Jones’ impact on generations of scholars cannot be overstated.

Xiao Shang’s philanthropic gift to Arts & Science endowed the J. Bryan Jones Distinguished Doctoral Fellowship in Chemistry.

“Bryan was a devoted professor who mentored new faculty long before it became embedded in U of T policy,” says Lautens. “I was so fortunate to learn from Bryan and have him watch over me at the start of my career. He brought that same thoughtful approach to his research group.”

Investing in future thought leaders in the field

For Jones, the fellowship in his name means much more than recognition of his own achievements; it’s an investment in the future and a catalyst for scientific discovery. After all, countless innovations we take for granted – from the insulin that manages diabetes to the powerful lasers used in surgery and manufacturing – were brought to life by chemists in U of T labs.

“Our young graduates must keep open minds from the beginning of their research careers so they can recognize critical needs early on, and devise the new chemistries that will be required,” says Jones. “Xiao’s stellar career illustrates just how successfully all such aspects can combine in the most effective ways and lead to enormous benefits to humankind.”

By David Goldberg