Jones Family doubles down on kidney research with $21 million commitment to The Ottawa Hospital

The Jones Family is investing an additional $10 million in kidney research and care and the broader Campaign to Create Tomorrow at The Ottawa Hospital, bringing the family’s total commitment to $21 million and helping position Ottawa as a national leader in kidney research, innovation and care.

The latest investment in the $500 million Campaign to Create Tomorrow is advancing discoveries that can lead to new treatments and better care for people living with kidney disease. It is also advancing personalized cell therapy — using a patient’s own cells to develop treatments tailored to their biology. Their gift showcases what the future of medicine could look like: treatments designed for the patient, not just the disease.

It builds on the Jones family’s 2022 commitment of $10 million and a $1 million gift in 2018 for kidney research.
Together, the Jones family’s investments are helping to:

• Advance kidney transplant and immunology research, clinical trials, cell manufacturing and core research resources.
• Accelerate innovative personalized cell therapies, including research into a novel kind of CAR-T cell therapy that could allow more people to benefit from kidney transplants. 
• Develop the next generation of kidney researchers through support for fellows and emerging research leaders.
• Provide seed funding for innovative kidney research projects through our internal Elevate grant competition.
• Support infrastructure for kidney care at the new campus.

For the Jones family, this commitment is deeply personal. June Jones has lived with IgA nephropathy for more than three decades, relied on lifesaving dialysis for many years and continues to wait for a second kidney transplant. Alongside her husband, Russ, Shopify’s first CFO before his retirement, their two grown children and their families, June is committed to creating a better future for people living with kidney disease.

“I know what it feels like to have your life changed by a transplant,” said June. “After waiting so many years for another kidney, I hope this research can open that door again — not just for me, but for other patients waiting as well. For our family, the potential to change what’s possible for kidney patients is incredibly meaningful.”
At The Ottawa Hospital, researchers and clinicians are tackling some of the most complex challenges in kidney disease, from understanding why transplants fail and developing new therapies to finding better ways to diagnose and treat it. 

“The Jones family understands something that is at the heart of everything we do: research is care,” says Tim Kluke, President and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital Foundation. “Their extraordinary generosity is helping turn discovery into treatment and treatment into better outcomes. This is what leadership in kidney research looks like and it has the potential to change what is possible for patients like June and for generations to come.”

In recognition of their incredible support, The Ottawa Hospital is proudly renaming the Kidney Research Centre as the Jones Family Kidney Research Centre.

“The Jones family’s generosity is accelerating some of the most promising advances in kidney research today,” said Dr. Dylan Burger, Director of the Jones Family Kidney Research Centre, Senior Scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and Professor at the University of Ottawa. “This support allows us to bring together experts across disciplines, invest in innovative ideas and advance personalized therapies that have the potential to improve and extend the lives of people living with kidney disease. It is helping Ottawa lead the way in shaping the future of kidney care.”

About The Ottawa Hospital:  
The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s top learning and research hospitals, where excellent care is inspired by research and driven by compassion. As the third-largest employer in Ottawa, our support staff, researchers, nurses, physicians, and volunteers never stop seeking solutions to the most complex healthcare challenges.  
Our multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, attracts some of the most influential scientific minds from around the world. Our focus on learning and research leads to new techniques and discoveries that are adopted globally to improve patient care. We make groundbreaking biomedical discoveries, develop innovative new therapies, lead practice-changing clinical trials, and translate research into benefits for patients and society. We are the Regional Trauma Centre for eastern Ontario and have been accredited with Exemplary Standing for healthcare delivery — the highest rating from Accreditation Canada. We are also home to world-leading research programs focused on cancer therapeutics, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, chronic disease, and practice-changing research. Backed by generous support from the community, we are committed to providing the world-class, compassionate care we would want for our loved ones.  

About the Jones Family Kidney Research Centre:
Established in 2000, The Ottawa Hospital’s Jones Family Kidney Research Centre (JFKRC) is one of the largest kidney research centres in North America, currently encompassing nine laboratory scientists and affiliate investigators as well as 20 clinician researchers, together with their trainees and staff. JFKRC researchers, who are also part of the University of Ottawa, are taking a lead role nationally in developing new strategies to improve detection, treatment and prevention of kidney disease. They are also committed to training the next generation of kidney research leaders, including graduate students and research fellows from Canada and around the world.

Media contact: Morgan Hunter, The Ottawa Hospital Foundation; mohunter@toh.ca; 613-408-6484