Jenkins, Michael, PhD

Dr. Michael W. Jenkins is an interdisciplinary biomedical engineer and optical scientist recognized for pioneering work at the convergence of advanced optical imaging, infrared neuromodulation, and photobiomodulation therapeutics.

In recent years, it has become clear that modulating the autonomic nervous system has great potential for treating diseases. Neuromodulation of the vagus nerve has shown potential to treat several diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, epilepsy, hypertension, obesity, heart failure, and coma. Neuromodulation devices potentially have several advantages over pharmaceuticals including reduced side effects and more spatially targeted treatment. Neuromodulation is typically achieved with electrodes, but the development of alternative or complementary neuromodulation devices that produce unique physiologic responses are needed to realize the full potential.

Dr. Jenkins holds the Dr. Donald and Ruth Weber Goodman Professorship in Innovative Cardiovascular Research at Case Western Reserve University and serves as Director of the School of Medicine Light Microscopy Imaging Core. His laboratory has produced landmark contributions including the first demonstration of non-invasive optical pacing of the embryonic heart (Nature Photonics, 2010) and the development of Transient Selective Neural Inhibition via Photobiomodulation (tSNIP), a pharmacological-free approach to selectively inhibit pain-related small sensory fibers.

Jenkins’ lab has shown that infrared neuromodulation (IRN) induces unique patterns of physiological responses that cannot be elicited by electrical current or drugs when applied to peripheral and central structures (e.g., ganglia, brainstem). The team has been investigating the mechanisms of action and determining whether IRN has the potential to map/decode autonomic circuitry, and as a clinical device.

Dr. Jenkins’ program investigates infrared neuromodulation (IRN) as a tool to induce unique physiological responses that cannot be elicited by electrical current or drugs when applied to peripheral and central structures such as ganglia and the brainstem. He holds numerous patents, is involved with two startup companies (OpsiClear and BrillaTx), and has mentored over 30 students and trainees who have won competitive awards

Jenkins’ group has also developed technology to study structure/function relationships in the developing heart. A congenital heart defect (CHD) is an evident structural anomaly of the heart or thoracic great vessels with real or potential functional impact. Among all birth defects, CHDs are one of the most common and devastating, afflicting 32,000 babies born in the United States each year and over 1 million Americans alive today. For more information, visit jenkinslab.com

RESEARCH PROGRAMS

• Transient Selective Neural Inhibition via Photobiomodulation (tSNIP) for chronic pain management
• Infrared neuromodulation of peripheral and autonomic nervous system structures
• Multimodal optical technologies for ocular surface neurobiology and dry eye disease
• Advanced microscopy and 3D imaging systems (light-sheet, MUSE, optical clearing)
• Mechanisms and prevention of prenatal alcohol-induced congenital heart defects

MAJOR PROJECTS & FUNDING

• NIH-Funded Research, Development and validation of tSNIP for selective inhibition of small-diameter pain fibers; established dose-response relationships and motor function preservation benchmarks
• Infrared neuromodulation mechanisms and autonomic nervous system mapping; characterizing unique physiological responses not achievable with electrical stimulation
• Multimodal imaging platform for ocular surface neurobiology, including calcium imaging of corneal nerves and 3D molecular imaging for evaporative dry eye disease
• Advanced 3D microscopy systems including LIMPID optical clearing protocol and CompassLSM axially swept light-sheet microscopy for whole-organ imaging
• Prenatal alcohol exposure and congenital heart defects; methyl donor supplementation (betaine) as a rescue strategy for epigenetic and structural cardiac defects
  

HONORS & RECOGNITION

• Dr. Donald and Ruth Weber Goodman Professor of Innovative Cardiovascular Research, Case Western Reserve University, 2019–2026
• Young Investigator Award — H.W. Mossman Award in Developmental Biology, American Association of Anatomists, 2016
• Best Student Paper, SPIE Great Lakes Photonics Symposium, 2004