Marc Jenkins

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Credentials

PhD

Bio

Marc Jenkins has had an illustrious career in immunology, marked by significant contributions to our understanding of T-cell biology. A native of Minnesota, Marc embarked on his academic journey by earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from the University of Minnesota (UMN) in 1980. Following his undergraduate degree, Marc continued his academic pursuits, delving into doctoral research that would set the stage for his remarkable contributions to the field of immunology. Beginning with his doctoral work at Northwestern University, where he collaborated with Stephen Miller on delayed-type hypersensitivity, Marc showed an early aptitude for groundbreaking discoveries and advancements in our understanding of the immune system.

Marc's postdoctoral training under Ronald Schwartz at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was indeed transformative for the field of immunology. During this period, he made a pivotal discovery regarding T cell activation, revolutionizing the understanding of immune responses. His research demonstrated the critical importance of a costimulatory signal for T cells to achieve full activation and avoid a state of anergy, a term used to describe T-cells rendered unresponsive to antigen stimulation. This discovery fundamentally reshaped the prevailing understanding of T-cell activation mechanisms, highlighting the intricate interplay of signaling pathways involved in orchestrating effective immune responses. Marc's work provided crucial insights into the regulation of immune function, paving the way for further investigation into the molecular mechanisms governing T-cell activation and immune tolerance.

Since joining the faculty of the University of Minnesota's Microbiology Department in 1988, Marc's research has been marked by significant contributions to the field of immunology, particularly in the realm of CD4+ T cell biology. His research endeavors have been instrumental in unraveling the complexities of immune responses and shedding light on critical mechanisms underlying T cell activation and memory formation. His work has been instrumental in identifying key receptors like CD28, which play crucial roles in modulating T cell activation and function, elucidating the mechanisms underlying T cell responses to antigens in the body. His group at the University of Minnesota showed that antigen-specific CD4+ T cells first become activated in the central part of lymph nodes, then migrate to B cell-rich follicles and non-lymphoid organs, and documented the cellular changes that produce immune memory. Additionally, they have documented the cellular changes that give rise to immune memory, providing a deeper understanding of how the immune system retains information about past encounters with pathogens.

Currently, Jenkins' research focuses on unraveling the mechanisms underlying CD4+ T cell activation, memory cell formation, and immune protection. By leveraging insights from basic immunology discoveries, he aims to develop strategies for improving vaccine efficacy and preventing undesirable immune responses, such as transplant rejection and autoimmunity. Through his pioneering work, Jenkins continues to advance our understanding of the immune system, with the ultimate goal of translating these insights into clinical applications that benefit human health.

Throughout his career, Jenkins has been honored with prestigious awards recognizing his contributions to immunology, including the Pew Scholar Award, the American Association of Immunologists (AAI) Meritorious Career Award, the AAI Excellence in Mentoring Award, and the AAI Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a past President of the AAI and a member of
the inaugural class of AAI Distinguished Fellows.

In 2020, Jenkins achieved another milestone by being elected to the National Academy of Sciences, a testament to the significance and impact of his research. Notably, he became the first faculty member from the UMN Medical School to receive this honor in 50 years, underscoring his exceptional standing in the scientific community.

The significance of Jenkins' findings cannot be overstated, as they laid the foundation for subsequent research to elucidate the complexities of immune activation and to identify novel therapeutic targets for immune-related disorders. His contributions have had a lasting impact on the field of immunology, shaping our understanding of immune regulation and influencing the development of immunotherapies for various diseases.

Beyond his scientific endeavors, Jenkins enjoys various hobbies such as bicycling, fishing, supporting Minnesota sports teams, and spending time with his grandchildren, showcasing his well-rounded personality and interests outside of the laboratory.

Research Summary

The Jenkins lab is working on research that is focused on CD4+ T and B cell activation in vivo by directly tracking antigen-specific cells. The goal of this research is a basic understanding of lymphocyte activation that can be used to improve vaccines and prevent autoimmunity.  View the full list of publications here.

Recent Publications 

• The CD4+ T cell repertoire specific for citrullinated peptides shows evidence of immune tolerance. 
  McElwee MK, Dileepan T, Mahmud SA, Jenkins MK. J Exp Med. 2023 Dec 4;220(12):e20230209. doi: 10.1084/jem.20230209. Epub 2023 Oct 13. PMID: 37831103 
   
• Toward a general model of CD4⁺ T cell subset specification and memory cell formation 
  Osum KC, Jenkins MK. Immunity. 2023 Mar 14;56(3):475-484. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.02.010. PMID: 36921574 
   
• Single-cell transcriptomes and T cell receptors of vaccine-expanded apolipoprotein B-specific T cells. 
  Nettersheim FS, Ghosheh Y, Winkels H, Kobiyama K, Durant C, Armstrong SS, Brunel S, Roy P, Dileepan T, Jenkins MK, Zajonc DM, Ley K. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2023 Jan 5;9:1076808. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.1076808. eCollection 2022. PMID: 36684560 
   
• Route of self-amplifying mRNA vaccination modulates the establishment of pulmonary resident memory CD8 and CD4 T cells. 
  Künzli M, O'Flanagan SD, LaRue M, Talukder P, Dileepan T, Stolley JM, Soerens AG, Quarnstrom CF, Wijeyesinghe S, Ye Y, McPartlan JS, Mitchell JS, Mandl CW, Vile R, Jenkins MK, Ahmed R, Vezys V, Chahal JS, Masopust D. Sci Immunol. 2022 Dec 9;7(78):eadd3075. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.add3075. Epub 2022 Dec 2. PMID: 36459542 
   
• Immune tolerance of food is mediated by layers of CD4⁺ T cell dysfunction
   Hong SW, Krueger PD, Osum KC, Dileepan T, Herman A, Mueller DL, Jenkins MK. Nature. 2022 Jul;607(7920):762-768. doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-04916-6. Epub 2022 Jul 6. PMID: 35794484 
   
• Boosting corrects a memory B cell defect in SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-vaccinated patients with inflammatory bowel disease. 
  Pape KA, Dileepan T, Matchett WE, Ellwood C, Stresemann S, Kabage AJ, Kozysa D, Evert C, Matson M, Lopez S, Krueger PD, Graiziger CT, Vaughn BP, Shmidt E, Rhein J, Schacker TW, Bold TD, Langlois RA, Khoruts A, Jenkins MK. JCI Insight. 2022 Jun 22;7(12):e159618. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.159618. PMID: 35730567  
   
• CD4⁺ Memory T-Cell Formation during Type 1 Immune Responses. 
  Krueger PD, Osum KC, Jenkins MK. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2021 Dec 1;13(12):a038141. doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a038141. PMID: 33903156  
   
• High-affinity memory B cells induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection produce more plasmablasts and atypical memory B cells than those primed by mRNA vaccines. 
  Pape KA, Dileepan T, Kabage AJ, Kozysa D, Batres R, Evert C, Matson M, Lopez S, Krueger PD, Graiziger C, Vaughn BP, Shmidt E, Rhein J, Schacker TW, Khoruts A, Jenkins MK. Cell Rep. 2021 Oct 12;37(2):109823. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109823. Epub 2021 Sep 25. PMID: 34610291  
   
• MHC class II tetramers engineered for enhanced binding to CD4 improve detection of antigen-specific T cells.
  Dileepan T, Malhotra D, Kotov DI, Kolawole EM, Krueger PD, Evavold BD, Jenkins MK. Nat Biotechnol. 2021 Aug;39(8):943-948. doi: 10.1038/s41587-021-00893-9. Epub 2021 May 3. PMID: 33941928  
   
• Intranasal Nanoparticle Vaccination Elicits a Persistent, Polyfunctional CD4 T Cell Response in the Murine Lung Specific for a Highly Conserved Influenza Virus Antigen That Is Sufficient To Mediate Protection from Influenza Virus Challenge.
  Nelson SA, Dileepan T, Rasley A, Jenkins MK, Fischer NO, Sant AJ. J Virol. 2021 Jul 26;95(16):e0084121. doi: 10.1128/JVI.00841-21. Epub 2021 Jul 26. PMID: 34076479 

 View the full list of publications here.

Teaching Summary

University of Minnesota

• Course/Lecture List
    1990 - present  Course Director and Lecturer, MICA 8003 Immunity and Immunopathology                               
• Program Design
    1994-1995        Organizing Committee, Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Pathobiology Ph.D. program (now known as Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology) 
   

American Association of Immunologists (AAI) Course/Lecture
        2007-2014      Lecturer, AAI Advanced Course in Immunology                                      
        1998-2003      Lecturer, AAI Advanced Course in Immunology                                                                                                        
        2004-2009     Lecturer, AAI Basic Course in Immunology            
                                
Woods Hole Laboratory of Oceanography
       2010-2014       Lecturer, Biology of Parasitism Course