Professor Graham Jenkin

BSc (Nottingham), PhD (Cantab)

Associate Director – Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories

Professor - Department of Physiology

Chief Education Officer – Australian Stem Cell Centre

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Research personnel

Research Group Leader

Researchers

Professor Graham Jenkin
Professor Euan Wallace (Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology)
Assoc Professor David Walke (Department of Physiology)
Dr. Suzie Miller
Dr. Shae-Lee Cox
Dr. Ursula Manuelpillar (Department, Obstetircs & Gynaecology)

Research Assistants

Jan Loose
Raphael Widenfeld

Students

Veena Supramaniam
Hsin Mei Low
Sivapragasam Ravitharan (Dept of Obstetircs & Gynaecology)
Candice Rodrics
Yang Hsiao Yun
Mahalia Chia
Zoe Ireland

Qualifications and Major Awards

• 1969-1971 - University of Nottingham, School of Agriculture, UK. Degree: BSc (Hons) In Animal Physiology. Awarded 1971.
• 1971-1975 - University of Cambridge, Churchill College, UK. Degree: Doctor of Philosophy. Awarded 1975.
• 1996 - Elected Fellow of the Institute of Biology with the designation Chartered Biologist
• 1999 - Recipient, Monash University Vice Chancellor’s Award for Postgraduate Supervision.

Research Interests

Professor Graham Jenkin's research interests include the control of ovarian function, germ cell development and stem cells and tissue matrices; use of new reproductive technologies for preservation of endangered species, the initiation and maintenance of early pregnancy; growth, development and well-being of the embryo and fetus; the initiation of normal and premature parturition and its prevention.

His current research interests have focussed on the role of newly discovered glycoproteins and peptides in early pregnancy, in the maintenance of pregnancy, in growth, development and well being of the embryo and fetus and in the initiation of normal and premature parturition. His recent studies on the presence and source of inhibin, activin and related proteins in fetal tissues and fluids indicate that they may also be important in prevention of early embryonic loss, in fetal growth and development, as neurotrophic, neuroprotective factors and in the initiation of parturition. This work has lead to novel approaches to the clinical monitoring of fetal well being during late gestation in normal and particularly in compromised fetuses, as well as potential clinical therapies.

Professor Jenkin's research group has developed models fetal compromise (intrauterine growth retardation) and hypoxia-induced brain injury in the fetal sheep and in prenatal chicks to investigate the possible neuroprotective actions of activin A and melatonin. They have proposed that melatonin, the endogenous hormone produced by the pineal gland, is neuroprotective by increasing antioxidant capacity and acting as an oxygen free radical scavenger. The innate capacity of the fetus to repair and regenerate tissues is also being used to develop models of tissue regeneration using stem cells. They are using the prenatal chick model to investigate the mechanisms of development of brain injury in the fetus and how such injury relates to cognitive function. Using the chick, they can also determine the relationship between the timing of the prenatal insult and the timing of subsequent brain injury.

Professor Jenkin's observations on the role of ovarian oxytocin, and uterine oxytocin receptors in the control of cyclic activity and pregnancy have implications for the understanding of the mechanisms which are involved in luteal regression and parturition. These studies have lead to the development of potentially safe new treatments for the inhibition of premature labour without affecting fetal well being.

Graham's studies in the field of cryopreservation and transplantation of fetal and adult ovarian tissue have lead to important observations on the development and control of ovarian function and may, for the first time, enable us to study the factors responsible for recruitment and early development of ovarian follicles. These studies have implications with respect to inhibition of ovarian function (contraception) as well as the treatment of infertility and the restoration of fertility in women. He has recently also initiated a program of research to investigate the potential use of such techniques in the preservation of unique genetic material from female germ cells of endangered species and genetically modified animals.

He is a Chief Investigator on an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Program Grant “Reproductive Processes”. He is Principal Investigator on a NICHD, RFA Program Grant “Development of Models and Molecular Markers for Determining Oocyte and Embryo Quality ” to develop novel methods of monitoring oocyte quality and of investigating the epigenetic control of early development. He has initiated collaborations with Optiscan Imaging Ltd, and Polynovo Biomaterials Ltd undertaking animal based studies. More recently, he has initiated a program of research to investigate the interaction between novel polymer surfaces and lung stem cells.

In addition to his research activities, he is presently seconded to the newly established Australian Stem Cell Centre where he holds the position of Chief Education Officer in this exciting new major research and development initiative in regenerative medicine.

He presently supervises 4 PhD and 2 MSc students and has previously supervised, or co-supervised 20PhD, 4 MSc, 4 BMedSci and 50 BSc Honours students.

Recent Key Invited Lectures and Seminars

Fifteenth International Congress on Animal Reproduction,  Invited Keynote Symposium  Speaker.  Mechanisms responsible for Parturition,  Porto Seguro, Brazil.  August 2004.

Serono International Symposium on Ageing, Reproduction and Infertility.  Invited Keynote Speaker.  Germ Cell Populations in the ovary:  prospects for manipulation,  September 2002.

Australian and New Zealand Council For The Care of Animals In Research & Teaching Annual Symposium,  Invited Convenor.  Workshop on genetically modified organiams.

Serono International Symposium, Satellite to the International Congress of Endocrinology,  Invited Keynote Speaker.  Inhibins, Activins and Follistatin:  Novel regulatory roles.  July 2000.

Serono International Symposium on Superovulation and Oocyte Maturation,  Invited Keynote Speaker.  Transplantation of fetal ovarian tissue.  Melbourne.  September 1995.

Recent Peer Reviewed Publications

1. Miller SL, Yan E, Castillo-Melendez M, Jenkin G, Walker D. (2005) Melatonin protects against hydroxy radical induced damage in a fetal sheep model of acute asphyxia. Developmental Neuroscience (In press)
2. McClure,L.M., O’Connor,A.E., Hayward,S., Jenkin,G., Walker,.D.W. and Phillips,D.J. (2005) Effects of age and pregnancy on the circulatory activin response of sheep to acute inflammatory challenge by lipopolysaccharide. Journal of Endocrinology, Vol 185, 139-149
3. Jenkin G, Young IR.  (2005)  Mechanisms responsible for parturition;the use of experimental models. Animal Reproduction Science Special issue:  Research and Practice III. 15th International Congress on Animal Reproduction.  Eds M Henry, PK Basrur, PJ Broadbent, LE Pinheiro, 82-83C, pp 567-581.
4. Rodricks, C.L.. Rose,I, Jenkin G .. Miller,S.L. , Gibbs,M.E (2004). The effect of prenatal hypoxia and malnutrition on memory consolidation in the chick. Developmental Brain Research, 148 ,113-119
5. Supramaniam,VG, Jenkin,G, Wallace,EM, O’Connor,AE de Kretser,DM and Miller,SL (2004) The effect of graded hypoxia on activin A, PGE2 and cortisol levels in the late pregnant sheep. Reproduction Fertility and Development :15, 625 - 632
6. Loose,J., Miller,S.lL., Supramaniam,V., Ward,J., O’Connor,A.E., de Kretser,D.M., Wallace,E.M. and Jenkin,G. (2004) Activin A increase in response to hypoxaemia reflects metabolic status in the late gestation sheep fetus. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology:111,1-7
7. Waterhouse T, Cox S-L, Snow M, Jenkin G, Shaw J.  (2004)  Offspring produced from heterotropic ovarian allografts in male and female recipient mice.  Reproduction, 127, 689-694.
8. Smith RP, Miller SL, Igosheva N, Peebles DM, Glover V, Jenkin G, Hanson MA, Fisk NM.  (2004)  Cardiovascular and endocrine responses to cutaneous electrical stimulation after fentanyl in the ovine fetus.  American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 190(3), 836-842.
9. Snow M, Cox S-L, Jenkin G, Shaw J.  (2004)  The fertility of mice following receipt of ovaries slow cooled in dimethyl sulfoxide or ethylene glycol is largely independent of cryopreservation equilibriation time and temperature.  Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 15, 1-8.
10. Cleary M, Paris M, Shaw J, Jenkin G, Trounson A.  (2003)  Effect of ovariectomy and graft position on cryopreserved common wombat (Vombatus ursinus) ovarian tissue following xenografting to nude mice.  Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 15, 333-342.
11. Wallace EM, Schneider-Kolsky ME, Edwards A, Baker L, Jenkin G.  (2003)  Maternal serum activin A levels are increased in association with intrauterine fetal growth restriction.  British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 110, 306-310.
12. Grigsby PL, Hirst JJ, Phillips DJ, Scheerlinck J-P, Jenkin G.  (2003)  Fetal responses to maternal and intra-amniotic endotoxin administration in pregnant sheep.  Biology of Reproduction, 68, 1695-1702.
13. Cleary M, West M, Shaw J, Jenkin G, Trounson A.  (2003)  In vitro maturation of oocytes from non-stimulated common wombats.  Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 15, 303-310.
14. Snow M, Cox S-L, Jenkin G, Trounson A, Shaw J.  (2002)  Generation of live young from xenografted mouse ovaries. Science, September 297, 2227.

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