Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
A/Prof Jennifer Zenker is a Group Leader at the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI), Monash University, in Melbourne (Australia).
Prior to establishing her research group, Jennifer undertook her postdoctoral studies at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology at A*STAR in Singapore and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Australia located at Monash University in Melbourne. She was the first scientist based in Singapore to receive the prestigious Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2015. During her postdoctoral studies, Jennifer used non-invasive imaging technologies to visualize the real-time dynamics of the cytoskeletal system within single cells of the mammalian embryo. She discovered new insights into how the microtubule and actin cytoskeleton are required for the development of a healthy embryo.
In 2012, she received her PhD in Neurobiology from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. Her work was awarded with the Amicitia Excellence Prize.
Jennifer however is not only a scientist but a very competetive triathlete as well. She is a Multipsort WORLD CHAMPION (Townsville, Australia, 2024) and and has won twice the silver medal at the 70.3 Ironman World Championchips in 2014 (Mont Tremblant, Canada) and 2018 (Port Elizabeth, South Africa). A/Prof Zenker also finished on 5th podium place at the Ironman World Championships in 2023 (Kona, Hawaii, USA), which have been her biggest achievements to date. In addition to her own training, she also enjoys to be on the other side of the pool and teaching kids or adults how to swim more efficient.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Neurobiology, PhD, Consequences of modified lipid and glucose metabolism on peripheral nervous system structure and function, Universite de Lausanne (University of Lausanne)
1 Aug 2007 → 25 May 2012
Award Date: 25 May 2012
Biology, Diploma, Universität Hohenheim (University of Hohenheim)
1 Oct 2002 → 15 Jul 2007
Award Date: 15 Jul 2007
Research area keywords
- Live Imaging
- Cytoskeleton
- Microtubule remodelling
- Preimplantation Mammalian Development
- Peripheral Nervous system
- Cell fate
- pluripotency
- Mouse embryo
- Stem cells
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Stem cell pluripotency - a microtubule cytoskeleton regulated state?
Sylvia & Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation
1/01/23 → 31/12/27
Project: Research
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Mitochondria live imaging in mammalian preimplantation embryos
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (Australia)
1/01/22 → 31/12/26
Project: Research
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Advanced lattice light sheet microscope optimised for biological imaging
Lieschke, G., Currie, P., Mitchell, C., Ryan, M., Zenker, J., Hogan, B. M., Smith, K. A. & Poon, I.
6/05/22 → 31/12/22
Project: Research
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Shedding light onto the structural secrets inside pluripotent stem cells in real-time
1/01/21 → 31/12/24
Project: Research
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Microtubule remodelling during cell differentiation and dedifferentiation
Canadian Institute for Advanced Research
1/09/19 → 31/12/22
Project: Research
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Seeing is believing: Visualising the Formation of Monozygotic Twins in IVF
Jin, H. & Zenker, J., Jan 2024, In: Journal of Reproductive Medicine Gynaecology & Obstetrics. 9, 3, 3 p., 100180.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment / Debate › Other › peer-review
Open Access -
Systematic loss-of-function screens identify pathway-specific functional circular RNAs
Liu, L., Neve, M., Perlaza-Jimenez, L., Xi, X., Purcell, J., Hawdon, A., Conn, S. J., Zenker, J., Tamayo, P., Goodall, G. J. & Rosenbluh, J., 2024, In: Nature Cell Biology. 26, p. 1359–1372 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus) -
Apicobasal RNA asymmetries regulate cell fate in the early mouse embryo
Hawdon, A., Geoghegan, N. D., Mohenska, M., Elsenhans, A., Ferguson, C., Polo, J. M., Parton, R. G. & Zenker, J., Dec 2023, In: Nature Communications. 14, 1, 30 p., 2909.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access8 Citations (Scopus) -
Traffic lights on early embryo development help understand cell pluripotency
Zenker, J., May 2023, Research Features, 147 4 p.Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article › Other
Open Access -
Beyond the centrosome: The mystery of microtubule organising centres across mammalian preimplantation embryos
Palacios Martínez, S., Greaney, J. & Zenker, J., Aug 2022, In: Current Opinion in Cell Biology. 77, 10 p., 102114.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
2 Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
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Amicitia PhD thesis Excellence Prize
Zenker, Jennifer (Recipient), 1 Aug 2013
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
Eduard Kellenberger Medal
Zenker, Jennifer (Recipient), 15 Sept 2023
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
Imaging formation of the first tissue-like structure in the early mammalian embryo
Zenker, Jennifer (Recipient), 1 Jan 2014
Prize: Competitive Fellowships
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Imaging formation of the first tissue-like structure in the early mammalian embryo
Zenker, Jennifer (Recipient), 1 Nov 2015
Prize: Competitive Fellowships
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Imaging formation of the first tissue-like structure in the early mammalian embryo
Zenker, Jennifer (Recipient), 1 Jan 2013
Prize: Competitive Fellowships
Activities
- 1 External HDR Supervision
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Supervision of PhD student Gemma Stathatos
Jennifer Zenker (Fellow) & Gemma Stathatos (Fellow)
26 Oct 2020 → 22 Sept 2023Activity: External Academic Engagement › External HDR Supervision