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Dr. Jimmy Wilmouth Is Doing Cancer Research in London

by Monica Hoel

Sometimes life takes you to unexpected places.

Jimmy had intentions of being a medical doctor. But while working on advanced degrees, you might say he “fell in with the right people” and cultivated a love of research. Now he has found a new path he plans to stay on.

The Lynchburg native came to E&H to play soccer and major in Biology. He delayed medical school for a bit, and soon found a new passion. “Once I got into the Ph.D. and I saw what heavy research was, it was just too much fun. It’s like figuring out a puzzle every single day. And I was working with a really cool multi-disciplinary team all working to answer the same question.”

In short…he was hooked on research.

He landed in France for his Ph.D. work because in addition to research, he also fell in love with a woman from France. As luck would have it he found Ph.D. advisor who had studied in England and spoke fluent English. 

After he completed the Ph.D. work he got a post-doc position with cutting edge facility in London. His research has shifted from working on adrenal cancer cells to focusing on stem cell and colon cancer cells. 

He is finding that researchers seem not only more willing to work together and share findings but they also have more means of making it easier to work together. Compared to researchers in the 1970s and 1980s, ease of travel, teleconferences, and even email are making it infinitely simpler for researchers to share what they’ve learned and ask questions of each other. 

Jimmy never imagined himself in a facility like the Stem Cell and Tumor Biology Laboratory in London, but he’s thrilled to be working with people who are passionate, curious, and willing to work together to solve problems. “The facility is absolutely incredible. It’s one of the largest biomedical research institutes in Europe. There are more than 100 labs. And whenever you need help on a new technique or topic, you can talk to anyone there who has more experience.”

Listen to an interview with Dr. Wilmouth and find out why curiosity may be the personal trait that led him to the work he’s doing now! And you’ll also find out why he named his cat Byron (you’ll be surprised).

Open gallery

Young Man smiling
JImmy Wilmouth
Emory & Henry Class of 2016

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