Dr. Jacqueline D. Jones, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, has been awarded Troy University’s Wallace D. Malone, Jr. Distinguished Faculty Award.

The award, which acknowledges exceptional faculty members who through teaching, meritorious and selfless service and research transform vision into reality, was presented during the University’s annual Chancellor’s Faculty/Staff Convocation on Friday in the Claudia Crosby Theater on the Troy Campus.

The award consists of a $1,500 cash prize, a medallion to be worn with academic regalia and a specially designed commemorative award. The award is made possible through a $100,000 endowment by the SouthTrust Corporation. Wallace Malone, former chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of SouthTrust, served as a TROY Trustee from 1975 to 1995.

“Dr. Jones has distinguished herself through her dedication to educating and mentoring students, while at the same time advancing vitally important cancer research,” said Dr. Judson Edwards, Interim Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost. “Her work exemplifies the combination of outstanding teaching and meaningful scholarship which is at the heart of this award.”

Jones said she was honored to receive the Malone Award.

“Receiving the Malone Award is a tremendous honor, and I am incredibly grateful to be recognized for doing something that I genuinely love and am passionate about,” she said. “Preparing students to become leaders in their fields, while mentoring and supporting them in various capacities throughout their academic and professional journeys, is one of the most rewarding aspects of my career. One of the greatest lessons I have learned through my work in academia is the value of delayed gratification. The impact we have as educators and mentors is not always immediately visible. Great leaders are cultivated over time, and it is incredibly rewarding to know that the time, care, and investment we pour into our students can help shape a generation of leaders who will positively influence their professions, their communities, and the world around them. To be recognized for work that I consider both my passion and my purpose makes receiving the Malone Award especially meaningful.”

Jones is a distinguished academic leader, scientist, and motivational speaker with expertise in experimental pathology, genetics, biochemistry, and cancer biology. She completed her doctoral work in a dual program with Tuskegee University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the Department of Pathology, School of Medicine. She successfully completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan in the Department of Periodontics and the Department of Urology in the School of Medicine.

As a researcher and director, Jones leads an active cancer pathology and progression laboratory and serves as Director of the Center for Biomedical Sciences. Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms associated with prostate and breast cancer progression in the bone microenvironment, with an emphasis on cancer health disparities. Her work has resulted in numerous national and international honors, peer-reviewed publications, scientific presentations, and more than $1 million in government and private grant funding.

Beyond academia, Jones is a passionate advocate for health equity. She actively engages with policymakers at the capitol in Washington, D.C. and professional organizations to support research funding and advance equitable research for the State of Alabama. She serves on boards and review panels for multimillion-dollar organizations and research initiatives and remains deeply committed to mentoring and preparing the next generation of scientists, healthcare professionals, and academic leaders.

Jones considers her faith and family to be her greatest sources of inspiration. She is happily married to Yusef Triche, and she is the proud mother of three children: Madison, Myles, and Makenna.