Dr Rowena Jenkins

Rowena is part of the Biomedical Sciences team involved in the design, development and delivery of modules within various programmes in the Biomedical Science subject area: MSc Biomedical Sciences, BSc Biomedical Science and BSc Healthcare Science. Specifically, she contributes to research led teaching in Microbiology, Molecular Microbiology and Contemporary Diagnostic Systems and acts as a mentor to personal tutees and research students.

Rowena is interested in the ability of natural products such as honey to kill antibacterial resistant bacteria.  Her research focuses on the current challenge of antimicrobial resistance, novel antimicrobial agents and their role in combating microbial infection, particularly in chronic infections.  

To date the main body of her research has focused on the antimicrobial effects of manuka honey on pathogenic microorganisms such as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.  She has investigated the effect of novel antimicrobial agents on cellular morphology, physiology, biofilm prevention/disruption, adhesion/invasion, virulence expression and proteomic/genetic expression profiles of pathogenic organisms. She is also interested in the potential for novel antimicrobial agents to potentiate the efficacy of antibiotics that currently have reduced activity due to microbial resistance.  It is the aim that information generated by testing novel agents in the laboratory will give an insight into their mode of action and how they can be integrated into clinical practice.

Rowenas research group at Cardiff Metropolitan University are currently investigating the role of novel antimicrobial agents in limiting infections associated with Cystic Fibrosis,  diabetic foot ulcers and zoonotic pathogens found in companion animals, with partners from the NHS, industry and academia.

• Roberts AEL, Brown HL, Jenkins RE (2015) On the antibacterial effects of manuka honey: mechanistic insights. Research and Reports in Biology, (6) 215—224.
• Jenkins RE, Wootton M, Howe R, Cooper RA (2015) A demonstration of the susceptibility of clinical isolates obtained from cystic fibrosis patients to manuka honey. Archives of Microbiology, 197 (6) 597 – 601.
• Jenkins RE, Burton NF, Cooper RA (2014) Proteomic and genomic analysis of methicillin-resistant Staphlyococcus aureus (MRSA) exposed to manuka honey in vitro demonstrated down-regulation of virulence markers. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 69 (3) 603 – 615.
• Maddocks S, Jenkins RE, Rowlands R, Purdy K, Cooper RA (2013) Manuka honey inhibits adhesion and invasion of medically important wound bacteria in vitro. Future Microbiology, 8 (12) 1523 – 1536.
• Maddocks S, Jenkins RE. (2013) Honey: A sweet solution to the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance? Future Microbiology,8 (11) 1419 – 1429.
• Jenkins RE, Cooper RA. (2012) Improving antibiotic activity against wound pathogens with manuka honey in In Vitro. PLOS one,  7 (9) 1-9 e45600.
• Cooper RA, Jenkins RE. (2012) Are there feasible prospects for manuka honey as an alternative to conventional antimicrobials? Expert Reviews of Anti-Infective Therapy, 10 (6) 11 – 13.
• Jenkins RE, Wootton M, Howe R, Cooper RA. (2012) Susceptibility to Manuka Honey of Staphylococcus aureus with Varying Sensitivities to Vancomycin (VISA). International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 40 (1) 88 – 89.
• Jenkins RE, Cooper RA. (2012) Synergy between oxacillin and manuka honey sensitizes methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus to oxacillin. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 67 (6) 1405 – 1407.
• Jenkins RE, Burton NF, Cooper RA. (2011) Manuka honey inhibits cell division in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 66 (11) 2536 – 2542.
• Jenkins RE, Burton NF, Cooper RA. (2011) The effect of manuka honey on the expression of universal stress protein A in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents.37 (4) 373 – 376.
• Henriques A, Jenkins RE, Burton NF, Cooper RA. (2010) The effect of manuka honey on the structure of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease.30 (2) 167 – 171.
• Henriques A, Jenkins RE, Burton NF, Cooper RA. (2010) The intracellular effects of manuka honey on Staphylococcus aureus. European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease. 29 (1) 45 -50.
• Jenkins RE, Burton NF, Cooper RA. (2008) A laboratory survey of the antimicrobial properties of honey-containing dressings. European Wound Management Journal 8 (3) 11- 16.

Recent conference presentations

• Jenkins RE (2016) Oral Presentation 'From the lab to the clinic – how the science of wound care can improve outcomes of patients' at Bringing legs to life - The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, 7th June.
• Roberts AEL, Jenkins RE (2016) Poster Presentation 'The viability of Burkholderia cenocepacia isolates is decreased by manuka honey' at Microbiology Society Annual Conference, Liverpool 21-24th March.
• Brown HL, Jenkins RE (2016) Poster Presentation 'Manuka honey as a possible treatment for chronic Cystic Fibrosis lung infections' at Microbiology Society Annual Conference, Liverpool 21-24th March.
• Cooper J, Jenkins RE (2016) 'Manuka honey improves antibiotic activity against Staphylococcus pseudintermedius' at Microbiology Society Annual Conference, Liverpool 21-24th March.
• Roberts AEL, Jenkins RE (2015) Poster Presentation '' Honey for CF'' at Welsh Microbiological Association winter meeting 27th-28th November 2015. Winner of Best Poster Prize £100.
• Jenkins RE (2014) Oral Presentation ''Antimicrobial overview of Manuka Honey'' All Wales CF Club Meeting, 12th November 2014.
• Jenkins RE (2014) Oral Presentation ''Manuka honey as an Antimicrobial Agent'' at ithree Institute lunchtime seminar series at University of Technology Sydney 15th July 2014.
• Shreedhar C and Jenkins RE (2014) Poster Presentation '' Effect of antibiotics in combination with manuka honey on Streptococcus pyogenes'' Australian Society for Microbiology Annual Scientific Meeting held in Melbourne between 6th - 9th July 2014.
• Jenkins RE (2014) Oral Presentation ''Manuka Honey as an Antimicrobial Agent'' at the School of Natural Sciences lunch time seminar series at NUI Galway 10th January 2014.
• Jenkins RE and Cooper RA (2013) Poster presentation ''Inhibiting biofilms of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using combinations of manuka honey and antibiotics'' Wounds UK Annual Conference held in Harrogate between 11th – 13th November 2013.
• Jenkins RE, Wootton M, Howe R, Cooper RA, (2012) Poster presentation '' Susceptibility to manuka honey of clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus with varying sensitivity to vancomycin (VISA)'' at 22nd European Congress of Clinical Microbiology held in London between 31st March -3rd April 2012.
• Jenkins RE, Cooper RA, (2011) Poster presentation '' Effect of antibiotics in combination with manuka honey on Pseudomonas aeruginosa'' at Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy held in Chicago between 17-20th September 2011.
• Jenkins RE, Kazimoto T, Cooper RA (2011) Poster presentation '' Interaction of antibiotics combined with manuka honey on MRSA'' at Society for General Microbiology Spring meeting held in Harrogate between 11-14th April 2011.​

Welsh Crucible Alumni 2016  - http://www.welshcrucible.org.uk/

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy - https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/

Secretary of the South Wales branch of the Royal Society of Biology - https://www.rsb.org.uk/regional-activity/wales/south-wales