Stuart Jenkins

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Biography

Following degrees in Computer Science (University of Essex) and Biochemistry & Neuroscience (Keele), I earned my PhD in Biomedical Engineering, studying under Prof Divya Chari (Keele, 2013). During my PhD, I was awarded an EPSRC E-TERM Landscape Fellowship, also hosted in Prof Chari’s lab (2013-15). I then held a postdoc position with Dr David Morgan (Keele, School of Pharmacy; 2015-16), before becoming a Lecturer at Keele’s School of Medicine (Nov 2016-).

PhD title: Applications of magnetic particles for oligodendrocyte precursor cell transplantation strategies
Fellowship project, E-TERM (Engineering – Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine; EP/I017801/1): Magnetically-assisted neuroengineering techniques
Postdoc project: Investigating the roles of microglia in neurodegenerative disease and regenerative processes

Research and scholarship

I am interested in improving preclinical models of neurodegeneration in the central nervous system, particularly for screening nanomaterials with therapeutic potential for tissue engineering/regenerative medicine (TERM).

I mainly work with glial cells (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, OPCs and microglia), but also embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and neurons (particularly dopaminergic).

I am associated with two themes at the Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine (ISTM):

I organised the ATREUM conference (3-6 April 2017) for early career researchers in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM)

In Feb 2014, I organised a Preclinical Modelling Workshop for Regenerative Medicine at Keele Hall.

I am a member of the British Neuroscience Association (BNA) and the British Society for Immunology (BSI).

Teaching

I teach at Keele University Medical School, and am currently involved in curriculum development (MBChB).

Postgraduate Supervision:LSC-40043, MSc in Scientific Research Training

Further information

Links, Resources, News

I am organising the ATREUM conference (3-6 April 2017) for early career researchers in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM)

I coordinate the Brains for Breakfast (B4B) seminar series

School of Life Sciences, Huxley003, Weds 09:00-10:00

Informal seminars discussing recent and proposed research in Neuroscience-related subjects, including Computer Science.

Please contact me if you are interested in presenting, or would like to join the mailing list.

I have contributed to the HEART (Healthcare Engineering & Regenerative Therapies) blog, aimed at teenagers interested in science

Are nanoparticles too small to be seen interacting with cells? [Jun 2014]

Can ‘stealth’ nanoparticles deliver medicine to the brain? [Apr 2014]

News, Events

Drs Stuart Jenkins & Chris Adams appointed to Lectureships [Oct 2016]
Teenagers in UK Science + Engineering Competition final [Feb 2016]
Are nanoparticles too small to be seen interacting with cells? [Jun 2014]
Can ‘stealth’ nanoparticles deliver medicine to the brain? [Apr 2014]
Preclinical Modelling Workshop for Regenerative Medicine [Feb 2014]
Cover image in prestigious publication [Jan 2014]
Journal Cover Image for Dr Divya Chari and Dr Stuart Jenkins [Jul 2013]
Dr Stuart Jenkins has been awarded an Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Landscape Fellowship [Nov 2012]
British Neuroscience Association Abstract Competition Winner [Jul 2012]
ISTM student paper in top nanotechnology journal [Oct 2011]

Selected Publications

Jenkins SI, Weinberg D, Al-Shakli AF, Fernandes AR, Yiu HHP, Telling ND, Roach P, Chari DM. 2016. 'Stealth' nanoparticles evade neural immune cells but also evade major brain cell populations: Implications for PEG-based neurotherapeutics. J Control Release, 136-145, vol. 224. link> doi> full text>
Weightman AP, Jenkins SI, Chari DM. 2016. Using a 3-D multicellular simulation of spinal cord injury with live cell imaging to study the neural immune barrier to nanoparticle uptake. Nano Research. doi> link> full text>
Jenkins SI, Roach P, Chari DM. 2015. Development of a nanomaterial bio-screening platform for neurological applications. Nanomedicine, 77-87, vol. 11(1). link> doi> full text>
Jenkins SI, Pickard MR, Furness DN, Yiu HHP, Chari DM. 2013. Differences in magnetic particle uptake by CNS neuroglial subclasses: implications for neural tissue engineering. Nanomedicine (Lond), 951-968, vol. 8(6). link> doi> full text>
Jenkins SI, Pickard MR, Granger N, Chari DM. 2011. Magnetic nanoparticle-mediated gene transfer to oligodendrocyte precursor cell transplant populations is enhanced by magnetofection strategies. ACS Nano, 6527-6538, vol. 5(8). link> doi>

Full Publications Listshow

Journal Articles

Patabendige A, Singh A, Jenkins S, Sen J, Chen R. 2021. Astrocyte Activation in Neurovascular Damage and Repair Following Ischaemic Stroke. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 1-22, vol. 22(8). doi> link> full text>
Patabendige A, Singh A, Jenkins S, Sen J, Chen R. 2021. Astrocyte Activation in Neurovascular Damage and Repair Following Ischaemic Stroke. Int J Mol Sci, vol. 22(8). link> doi> full text>
Singh A, Chow O, Jenkins S, Zhu L, Rose E, Astbury K, Chen R. 2021. Characterizing Ischaemic Tolerance in Rat Pheochromocytoma (PC12) Cells and Primary Rat Neurons. Neuroscience, 17-31, vol. 453. link> doi> full text>
Rawlinson C, Jenkins S, Thei L, Dallas ML, Chen R. 2020. Post-Ischaemic Immunological Response in the Brain: Targeting Microglia in Ischaemic Stroke Therapy. Brain Sci, vol. 10(3). link> doi> full text>
Mira A, Sainz-Urruela C, Codina H, Jenkins SI, Rodriguez-Diaz JC, Mallavia R, Falco A. 2020. Physico-Chemically Distinct Nanomaterials Synthesized from Derivates of a Poly(Anhydride) Diversify the Spectrum of Loadable Antibiotics. Nanomaterials (Basel), vol. 10(3). link> doi> full text>
Subramanian M, Miaskowski A, Jenkins SI, Lim J, Dobson J. 2019. Remote manipulation of magnetic nanoparticles using magnetic field gradient to promote cancer cell death. APPLIED PHYSICS A-MATERIALS SCIENCE & PROCESSING, Article ARTN 226, vol. 125(4). link> doi> link> full text>
Fricker RA, Green EL, Jenkins SI, Griffin SM. 2018. The Influence of Nicotinamide on Health and Disease in the Central Nervous System. Int J Tryptophan Res, 1178646918776658, vol. 11. link> doi> full text>
Evans MG, Al-Shakli A, Jenkins SI, Chari DM. 2017. Electrophysiological assessment of primary cortical neurons genetically engineered using iron oxide nanoparticles. NANO RESEARCH, 2881-2890, vol. 10(8). link> doi> full text>
Jenkins SI, Weinberg D, Al-Shakli AF, Fernandes AR, Yiu HHP, Telling ND, Roach P, Chari DM. 2016. 'Stealth' nanoparticles evade neural immune cells but also evade major brain cell populations: Implications for PEG-based neurotherapeutics. J Control Release, 136-145, vol. 224. link> doi> full text>
Tickle JA, Jenkins SI, Polyak B, Pickard MR, Chari DM. 2016. Endocytotic potential governs magnetic particle loading in dividing neural cells: studying modes of particle inheritance. Nanomedicine (Lond), 345-358, vol. 11(4). link> doi> full text>
Weightman AP, Jenkins SI, Chari DM. 2016. Using a 3-D multicellular simulation of spinal cord injury with live cell imaging to study the neural immune barrier to nanoparticle uptake. Nano Research. doi> link> full text>
Rafiq QA, Ortega I, Jenkins SI, Wilson SL, Patel AK, Barnes AL, Adams CF, Delcassian D, Smith D. 2015. The early career researcher's toolkit: translating tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and cell therapy products. Regenerative Medicine, 989-1003, vol. 10(8). link> doi> full text>
Jenkins SI, Roach P, Chari DM. 2015. Development of a nanomaterial bio-screening platform for neurological applications. Nanomedicine, 77-87, vol. 11(1). link> doi> full text>
Jenkins SI, Yiu HHP, Rosseinsky MJ, Chari DM. 2014. Magnetic nanoparticles for oligodendrocyte precursor cell transplantation therapies: progress and challenges. Mol Cell Ther, 23, vol. 2. link> doi> full text>
Tickle JA, Jenkins SI, Pickard MR, Chari DM. 2014. Influence of amplitude of oscillating magnetic fields on magnetic nanoparticle-mediated gene transfer to astrocytes. nanoLife. doi>
Weightman A, Jenkins S, Pickard M, Chari D, Yang Y. 2014. Alignment of multiple glial cell populations in 3D nanofiber scaffolds: toward the development of multicellular implantable scaffolds for repair of neural injury. Nanomedicine, 291-295, vol. 10(2). link> doi>
Jenkins SI, Pickard MR, Khong M, Smith HL, Mann CLA, Emes RD, Chari DM. 2014. Identifying the cellular targets of drug action in the central nervous system following corticosteroid therapy. ACS Chem Neurosci, 51-63, vol. 5(1). link> doi> full text>
Jenkins SI, Pickard MR, Furness DN, Yiu HHP, Chari DM. 2013. Differences in magnetic particle uptake by CNS neuroglial subclasses: implications for neural tissue engineering. Nanomedicine (Lond), 951-968, vol. 8(6). link> doi> full text>
Jenkins SI, Pickard MR, Chari DM. 2012. Magnetic nanoparticle mediated gene delivery in oligodendroglial cells: a comparison of differentiated versus precursor forms. NanoLIFE, vol. 3(1243001).
Jenkins SI, Pickard MR, Granger N, Chari DM. 2011. Magnetic nanoparticle-mediated gene transfer to oligodendrocyte precursor cell transplant populations is enhanced by magnetofection strategies. ACS Nano, 6527-6538, vol. 5(8). link> doi>
Pickard MR, Jenkins SI, Koller CJ, Furness DN, Chari DM. 2011. Magnetic nanoparticle labeling of astrocytes derived for neural transplantation. Tissue Eng Part C Methods, 89-99, vol. 17(1). link> doi>

Chapters

Jenkins SI and chari DM. 2018. A Stoichiometrically Defined Neural Coculture Model to Screen Nanoparticles for Neurological Applications. Santamaria F and Peralta X (Eds.). Humana Press, Inc.. doi> link> full text>

Gallery

Three of my publications have featured as journal covers

Videos, produced using time-lapse fluorescence microscopy

Fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles being internalised by brain cells

PhD Students

Lab members, opportunities

Emma Green, PhD student (2016-)

Vitamin driven generation of dopaminergic neurons as cell replacement therapy for Parkinson’s disease

Michael Santer, MSc Scientific Research Training (2016-)

Serum-free media for neural cell culture

Shida “Tiggs” Gholamian, Keele medical student, INSPIRE Summer Studentship (2016, with Dr David Morgan)

Eight week project: “Does repeated activation generate an ‘experienced’ microglial phenotype, with altered pro-inflammatory responses?”

Anna Biju, Nuffield Research Placement (2016, with Dr David Morgan)

Anna Biju won a place in the national finals of the National Science + Engineering Competition (British Science Association, BSA), presenting our work at The Big Bang Fair. Covered in The Sentinel.

Students wanted:

I welcome applications to undertake postgraduate (PhD or MPhil) studies in my laboratory. Please contact me directly (s.i.jenkins@keele.ac.uk) to discuss potential projects and the application process. See the "Research and Scholarship" tab for my research interests.

Dr Stuart Jenkins