Mary Ellen Jones, a prominent biochemist and enzymologist, is known for isolating carbamyl phosphate, one of a number of molecules that are the building blocks of biosynthesis. By synthesizing this substance, Jones contributed to laying the groundwork for major advances in biochemistry, particularly advances in research on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). She explored enzyme action, the process whereby the products of metabolism (metabolites) control enzyme activity, and metabolic pathways. The metabolic pathway is essential for cell division and differentiation, and studies of it are crucial for the understanding of a number of processes, including fetal development, cancer, and some mutations in humans. Jones was recognized for her work by being named the first woman Kennan Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in 1980.

Mary Ellen Jones was born on December 25, 1922, in La Grange, Illinois, to Elmer Enold and Laura Ann (Klein) Jones...