Jack Dixon is recognised for his work in enzymology and cell signalling. He determined the action of a family of enzymes that remove phosphate groups from cellular proteins — a critical way in which cells react to signals in their environment. Jack discovered several members of the protein tyrosine phosphatase family. They include regulators of cell growth and division, making them potential targets for cancer therapy. Most recently, Jack’s laboratory has uncovered a family of protein kinases that modify secreted proteins that participate in important aspects of bone and mineral formation.

In addition to his academic leadership and research, Jack was Chief Scientific Officer of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He was President of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB). He is a Member of the US National Academy of Sciences, the US National Academy of Medicine, the American Philosophical Society, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and is a Foreign Member of the Royal Society. Jack has received numerous honours, including the Rose, Merck and Stadtman awards of the ASBMB.