Professor Jenkins holds a first class degree in microbiology with biochemistry and a PhD in yeast physiology. His postdoctoral research was with Professor Sir Howard Dalton at the University of Warwick, investigating microbial biotransformations of aromatic hydrocarbons. Since joining De Montfort University, he has pursued various research interests involving the interaction of microbiological systems with chemicals (including antimony and arsenic compounds, chlorinated ethylenes) and various man-made environments (infant mattresses, water courses, landfills). His other research interests are the mechanistic action of certain metabolic poisons (fluoroacetate, organophosphates), human exposure to toxic metals and metalloids, and spectroscopic characterisation of cells (human and microbial).