J. Larry Jameson

J. Larry Jameson
Jameson in 2011
Interim President of the University of Pennsylvania
Acting
Assumed office December 12, 2023
Preceded by	Liz Magill
Personal details
Born	James Larry Jameson III
Education	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BS, MD, PhD)
Scientific career
Fields	Biochemistry, endocrinology
Institutions	Harvard Medical School Northwestern University University of Pennsylvania
Thesis	Regulation of microtubule assembly and steady-state dynamics (1981)

James Larry Jameson III is an American physician-scientist and endocrinogist, currently serving as interim president of the University of Pennsylvania since December 2023. He has served as the dean of the Perelman School of Medicine and executive vice president of the UPenn Health System since 2011. Jameson's research focuses on gene expression regulation, thyroid disease, and molecular endocrinology.

Early life and education

Jameson was born on Fort Moore in Columbus, Georgia, and raised in Asheville, North Carolina.

From the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Jameson received a Bachelor of Science with a major in chemistry with honors in 1976, a Doctor of Medicine in 1981, and a Doctor of Philosophy in biochemistry in 1981.

Jameson's doctoral dissertation was titled, Regulation of microtubule assembly and steady-state dynamics. During his doctoral studies at UNC, he received the Merck Book Award in 1978, the Alpha Omega Alpha membership in 1980, and the Lange Book Award in 1980. In 1981, he received the Isaac Hall Manning Award and a Merit Award from the UNC School of Medicine.

Career

In 1981, Jameson started as an intern and resident at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. In 1983, he became a research fellow at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, studying transcriptional regulation in endocrine genes with a focus on nuclear hormone receptors.

In 1985, Jameson joined Harvard Medical School as an instructor in medicine, advancing to assistant professor in 1987 and associate professor by 1992. During this period, he served as chief of the Thyroid Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital from 1987 to 1993, where he co-directed training programs in endocrinology, diabetes, and reproductive biology. His research included projects on gene expression regulation and hormone receptor interactions with pituitary genes, supported by grants from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. In 1990, his contributions were recognized with election to the American Society for Clinical Investigation.

Northwestern University

In 1993, Jameson transitioned to Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine as the Charles F. Kettering Professor of Medicine and chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Molecular Medicine. He directed Northwestern’s Training Program in Endocrinology and Metabolism, focusing on endocrine gene transcription, thyroid disease, and pituitary tumor pathogenesis. He was elected a member of the Association of American Physicians in 1995. That same year, he began contributing as co-editor-in-chief of the textbook, Endocrinology, a reference work on clinical and molecular endocrinology.

In 2000, Jameson became chairman of the Department of Medicine at Northwestern University, overseeing a broad range of research initiatives and patient care services across multiple specialties. He directed the Hormone Action and Cancer Group at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, continuing his research into hormone receptor action and cancer biology. In 2004, Jameson was elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and became a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2005. The following year, he was inducted into the National Academy of Medicine.

In 2007, Jameson was appointed dean of the Feinberg School of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs at Northwestern University. In these roles, he expanded research initiatives and emphasized molecular medicine in education. That same year, he also joined Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine as an editor, contributing to its 15th through 21st editions and authoring sections on endocrinology, genetics, and sex development.

University of Pennsylvania

In 2011, Jameson joined the University of Pennsylvania, serving as the executive vice president for the University of Pennsylvania Health System and Dean of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. His responsibilities included expanding research and clinical infrastructure and directing strategic growth in medical education. His editorial roles further expanded as he became editor-in-chief of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism from 2016 to 2021, and editor-in-chief of Journal of the Endocrine Society from 2016 to 2019.

In December 2023, Jameson was appointed interim president of the University of Pennsylvania, following the resignation of Liz Magill amid her congressional hearing controversies. He will continue in that role until at least 2026.

Personal life

Jameson's paternal lineage traces back to his great-great-great grandfather, William Jameson Sr., who emigrated from Ireland to colonial America in 1750. William Jameson settled in Easley, South Carolina, and served in the American Revolutionary War. For four subsequent generations, the family remained in South Carolina until Jameson's father relocated to Asheville, North Carolina, where Jameson was raised.