Jaco joined the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing in October 2006, developing the Institute's focus on ageing in Africa through the conduct of research and co-ordination of the African Research on Ageing Network (AFRAN).

His research interests revolve around intergenerational issues in Africa in general, and in particular the configuration and reconfiguration of these relationships in the context of HIV/AIDS. This research is funded by James Martin and the Oppenheimer Fund. The African Research on Ageing Network (AFRAN) is a United Nations endorsed programme, hosted by the Oxford Institute of Ageing, in partnership with the Council for the Development of Social Sciences Research in Africa, Dakar, Senegal (CODESRIA). This collaborative network brings together African and international institutions and individuals from academia, policy and practice to develop and expand African research and training capacity on ageing.