USGS National Wetlands Research Center: Jill Jenkins profile

Jill A. Jenkins, Ph.D.

Research Microbiologist

U.S. Geological Survey
National Wetlands Research Center
700 Cajundome Blvd.
Lafayette, LA. 70506
Office - (337) 266-8607
Lab - (337) 266-8679
jenkinsj@usgs.gov

Ph.D., Memphis State University, 1991 - Microbiology, Comparative Immunology, host/pathogen interactions

M.S., Idaho State University, 1985 - Microbiology and Biochemistry, Immunology

B.S., Rochester Institute of Technology, 1981 - Biology

Jenkins’ efforts emphasize the study of potential impacts of environmental stressors at the cellular and molecular levels. Her major areas of focus include biomarker development, endocrine disruption, genetics, and comparative immunology. Key laboratory biotechnologies she uses are photomicroscopy, flow cytometry, and computer assisted sperm analysis. Primary cell types studied are blood and spermatozoa, and assays are tailored to the particular species requirements and hypotheses being addressed.

Jenkins specializes in the development and application of biomarkers; these are measures of variables that respond in quantifiable ways to changes in the environment. The choice of particular biomarkers at specific biological levels of organization (such as genetic, cellular, tissue, hormonal, and organismal levels) depends on the study at hand. Because molecular and biochemical responses of cells are preceded by chemical changes in nuclei, cytoplasm, membranes, and extracellular fluids, these responses can be diagnostic and contribute to an assessment of ecosystem health.

Studies involve:

Quality of male gametes can point to reproductive capabilities. Typical assays include sperm counts, viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, motility, morphology, DNA integrity, apoptosis, spermatogenic stage.
Cytogenetic damage by genomic DNA integrity change, aneuploidy, detection of DNA repair proteins, sperm chromatin structure assay.
Ploidy of Asian carp, as batched, produced larvae, or feral animals.
Novel biomarker development, including oyster cell proliferating nuclear antigen, DNA repair protein in amphibians, and sperm acrosome reactivity status in sturgeon and some mammals.

Active Projects (See highlighted sites on map below).

Endocrine Disruption at Lake Mead: To measure potential impacts of contaminants on reproduction of endangered razorback suckers, largemouth bass, and common carp, studies on male gamete quality are being performed in multidisciplinary studies.
Biomonitoring at the Davis Pond Freshwater Diversion Study: To assess whether the American Bald Eagle is impacted by diversions of Mississippi River water and accompanying sediment-transported xenobiotics, fish from different trophic levels, bivalves, and eaglets are studied.
Differentiation of Pallid from Shovelnose Sturgeon by High Resolution DNA Analysis: Because morphological similarity between the species complicates their identification, and because molecular biology results can be unclear, careful analyses by flow cytometry of potential genome size differences are being made with the species and hybrids.

United States map showing Jill Jenkins' activie research studies

Figure 1. General locations on US map of Jenkins’ active research studies.

Jenkins’ work has been featured on the BRD Genetics and Genomics website, which lists capabilities, science projects, scientists, and equipment across all of the USGS biology discipline.

Selected Publications:

The following is a list of selected publications. For a complete list and for obtaining reprints, please contact the NWRC library (nwrclibrary@usgs.gov).

Jenkins, J.A., E.B. Bourgeois, C.W. Jeske. In press. Pond Freshwater Prediversion Biomonitoring Study: Freshwater Fisheries and Eagles. USGS Scientific Investigations Report. 145 pp.
Horváth, Á., W.R. Wayman, J.C. Dean, B. Urbányi, T.R. Tiersch, S.D. Mims, D. Johnson, and J.A. Jenkins. In press. Viability and fertilizing capacity of cryopreserved sperm from three North American Acipenseriform species. In Press. Journal of Applied Icthyology, Invited paper.
Papoulias, D.M., J. Candrl, J.A. Jenkins, D.E. Tillitt. In press. Reproductive potential and verification of ploidy in triploid black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) and grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). For AFS Special Publication (book chapter)
Thomas, R.G., J.A. Jenkins, J. David, In press. Occurrence and Distribution of Asian Carps in Louisiana and a Protocol for Determining Their Ploidy. For AFS Special Publication (book chapter).
Jenkins, J.A., Draugelis-Dale, R., 2006, Bioindicators from mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) sampled from the Imperial Valley in southern California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report, OF 2006-1307, 48 p. http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1307
Goodbred, S.L., Leiker, T.J., Patino, R., Jenkins, J.A., Denslow, N.D., Orsak, E., and Rosen, M.R., 2007, Organic chemical concentrations and reproductive biomarkers in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) collected from two areas in Lake Mead, Nevada, May 1999-May 2000: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 286, 18 p. http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2007/286
Olivier, Heather M., Jenkins, Jill A., and Goodbred, Steve L., 2008, Gonopodial development as a biomarker of endocrine disruption in Western Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) [abs.], in Abstracts 29th Annual Meeting, Louisiana Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Louisiana Fisheries: Poised for Changes, January 31-February 1, 2008, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, p. 31.
Nel-Themaat, Liesl, Gomez, Martha C., Pope, C. Earle, and others, 2008, Cloned Embryos from Semen. Part 2: Intergeneric Nuclear Transfer of Semen-Derived Eland (Taurotragus oryx) Epithelial Cells into Bovine Oocytes: Cloning and Stem Cells, v. 10, no. 1, p. 161-172.
Tiersch, T.R., H. Yang, J.A. Jenkins, Q. Dong. 2007. Sperm cryopreservation in fish and shellfish, in Roldan, E.R.S., and Gomendio, M., eds., Spermatology (Society of Reproduction and Fertility supplement 65): Nottingham, U.K., Nottingham University Press, p. 493-508. http://www.nup.com/Catalogue/ProductContents.aspx?ProductID=128
Jenkins, J. A., and Thomas, R. G., 2007, Use of eyeballs for establishing ploidy of Asian carp: North American Journal of Fisheries Management, v. 27, no. 4 (Nov.), p. 1195-1202.
Goodbred, S. L., Leiker, T. J., Patino, R., and others, 2007, Organic chemical concentrations and reproductive biomarkers in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) collected from two areas in Lake Mead, Nevada, May 1999--May 2000, U.S. Geological Survey, USGS Data Series 286, 18 p. online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2007/286.
Paniagua-Chávez, C. G., Jenkins, J. A., Segovia, M., and others, 2006, Assessment of gamete quality for the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) by use of fluorescent dyes: Cryobiology, v. 53, no. 1, p. 128-138.
Jenkins, J. A., and LaPeyre, J. F., 2006, Cell proliferation detected with flow cytometric cell cycle analysis and immunohistochemical detection of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) from somatic tissues of eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica: Environmental Bioindicators, v. 1, no. 3, p. 170-190.
Jenkins, J. A., and Draugelis-Dale, R. O., 2006, Bioindicators from mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) sampled from the Imperial Valley in southern California, U.S. Geological Survey, USGS Open-File Report 2006-1307, 48 p. online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1307.
Salinas-Flores, L., Paniagua-Chavez, C. G., Jenkins, J. A., and others, 2005, Cryopreservation of sperm of red abalone (Haliotis rufescens): Journal of Shellfish Research, v. 24, no. 2 (Aug.), p. 415-420.
Jenkins, Jill A., and Goodbred, Steven L., 2005, Viability of Male Gametes in Common Carp Cyprinus carpio along the Lower Colorado River from the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Havasu NWR, and Lake Mohave of Lake Mead National Recreation Area, USGS Open-File Report 2006-1007, 25 p. online at http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/wdb/pub/others/05-298.pdf.
Nickum, J. G., Bart, H. L., Jr., Bowser, P. R., and others, 2004, Guidelines for the use of fishes in research: Bethesda, MD, American Fisheries Society, American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists online at http://www.fisheries.org/afs/docs/policy_guidelines2004.pdf.
Jenkins, J.A., 2004, Fish bioindicators of ecosystem condition at the Calcasieu Estuary, Louisiana, U.S. Geological Survey, USGS Open-File Report 2004-1323, 47 p. online at http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/publications/ofr2004jaj.pdf.
Gauthier, J. D., Jenkins, J. A., and LaPeyre, J. F., 2004, Flow cytometric analysis of lectin binding to in vitro-cultured Perkinsus marinus surface carbohydrates: Journal of Parasitology, v. 90, no. 3, p. 446-454.
Cardenas, W., Dankert, J. R., and Jenkins, J. A., 2004, Flow cytometric analysis of crayfish haemocytes activated by lipopolysaccharides: Fish and Shellfish Immunology, v. 17, no. 3, p. 223-233.
Tiersch, T. R., and Jenkins, J. A., 2003, Biosecurity and regulatory considerations for transfer of cryopreserved sperm and early life stages of aquatic species, in Lee, Cheng-Sheng, and O'Bryen, Patricia J., eds., Biosecurity in Aquaculture Production Systems: Exclusion of Pathogens and Other Undesirables, July 23-26, 2001, Honolulu, Hawaii, p. 171-198.
Jenkins, Jill A., De Cola, Lee, Barton, Christopher C., and others, 2003, Nonlinear approaches to understanding human and environmental health [abs.], in Natural Science and Public Health: Prescription for a Better Environment. Abstracts from the Conference on April 1-3, 2003, Reston, Virginia: Reston, Virginia, US Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey, USGS Open-File Report 03-097, p. 57 online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/of03-097.
Jenkins, Jill A., and Dale, Rassa O., 2003, Novel diagnostic biomarkers from aquatic animals [abs.], in Natural Science and Public Health: Prescription for a Better Environment. Abstracts from the Conference on April 1-3, 2003, Reston, Virginia: Reston, Virginia, US Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey, USGS Open-File Report 03-097, p. 58 online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/of03-097.
Jenkins, J. A., 2003, Pallid Sturgeon in the Lower Mississippi Region: Hematology and Genome Information, US Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey, USGS Open-File Report 03-406, 32 p online at http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/about/web/PallidHemato.pdf.
Gomez, M. C., Jenkins, J. A., Giraldo, A., and others, 2003, Nuclear transfer of synchronized African wild cat somatic cells into enucleated domestic cat oocytes: Biology of Reproduction, v. 69, no. 3 (Sep.), p. 1032-1041.
Dankert, J. R., and Jenkins, J. A., 2003, Hurricane Mitch: development of immunological tools to assess the health status of shrimp: Reston, VA, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Hurricane Mitch Program, USGS Open-File Report OFR 03-176, 27 p. online at http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/hurricane/mitch/ShrimpMitchJJJDfinal.pdf.
Segovia, M., Jenkins, J. A., Paniagua-Chavez, C., and others, 2000, Flow cytometric evaluation of antibiotic effects on viability and mitochondrial function of refrigerated spermatozoa of Nile tilapia: Theriogenology, v. 53, p. 1489-1499.
Jenkins, J. A., Kilili, A., and Moser, E. B., 2000, Early estimation of ploidy in spawns of grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella, treated for triploidy induction, in Aquaculture America 2000, Book of Abstracts, New Orleans, LA, p. 162.
Jenkins, J. A., 2000, Regulatory considerations for the global transfer of cryopreserved fish gametes, in Tiersch, T. R., and Mazik, P. M., eds., Cryopreservation in Aquatic Species: Baton Rouge, LA, World Aquaculture Society, p. 364-379.
Jenkins, J. A., 2000, Minimizing microbial contamination of sperm samples, in Tiersch, T. R., and Mazik, P. M., eds., Cryopreservation in Aquatic Species: Baton Rouge, LA, World Aquaculture Society, p. 276-279.
Jenkins, J. A., 2000, Infectious disease and quality assurance considerations for the transfer of cryopreserved fish gametes, in Tiersch, T. R., and Mazik, P. M., eds., Cryopreservation in Aquatic Species: Baton Rouge, LA, World Aquaculture Society, p. 343-363.
Cardenas, W., Jenkins, J. A., and Dankert, J. R., 2000, A flow cytometric approach to the study of crustacean cellular immunity: Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, v. 76, p. 112-119.
El Gamal, A. A., Davis, K. B., Jenkins, J. A., and others, 1999, Introduction of triploidy and tetraploidy in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.) : Journal of the World Aquaculture Society, v. 30, no. 2, p. 269-275.
Jenkins, J. A., and Klesius, P. H., 1998, Elicitation of macrophages from the peritoneal cavity of channel catfish: Journal of Aquatic Animal Health, v. 10, p. 69-74.
Jenkins, J. A., and Tiersch, T. R., 1997, A preliminary bacteriological study of refrigerated channel catfish sperm: Journal of the World Aquaculture Society, v. 28, no. 3, p. 282-288.
Jenkins, J. A., and Taylor, P. W., 1995, An alternative bacteriological medium for the isolation of Aeromonas spp.: Journal of Wildlife Diseases, v. 31, no. 2, p. 272-275.
Jenkins, J. A., and Ourth, D. D., 1993, Opsonic effect of the alternative complement pathway on channel catfish peripheral blood phagocytes: Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, v. 39, p. 447-459.
Jenkins, J. A., Rosell, R., D., and others, 1991, Electron microscopy of bactericidal effects produced by the alternative complement pathway of channel catfish: Journal of Aquatic Animal Health, v. 3, no. 1, p. 16-22.
Jenkins, J. A., and Ourth, D. D., 1990, Membrane damage to Escherichia coli and bactericidal kinetics by the alternative complement pathway of channel catfish : Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - Part B: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, v. 97B, no. 3, p. 477-481.

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