Jennifer Zenker

Assoc Professor

Accepting PhD Students

PhD projects

upon personal discussion

20092024

Research activity 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):

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being

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 200725 May 2012

Award Date: 25 May 2012

Biology, Diploma, Universität Hohenheim (University of Hohenheim)

1 Oct 200215 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

Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or