Dorothea D. Jenkins

Dr. Dorothea D. Jenkins is a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), College of Medicine. She is an academic neonatologist with over 20 years of experience, specializing in neonatal brain injury, neuroprotection, and clinical translational research. Her work focuses on improving outcomes for infants at high risk of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and neuroinflammatory injuries.

Education:

• MD from MUSC College of Medicine (1985)
• Fellowships in Pediatrics and Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at University of Colorado and University of North Carolina

Research Focus: Dr. Jenkins pioneered randomized controlled trials on hypothermia neuroprotection in neonates with HIE, leading to its adoption as standard care. She innovates non-invasive neuromodulation techniques like transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (taVNS) paired with feeding to improve oral intake in preterm and HIE infants. Her lab investigates neuroprotective agents such as N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and vitamin D3, demonstrating their efficacy in reducing oxidative stress and improving developmental outcomes. She also explores fetal neuroinflammation in chorioamnionitis and develops early motor assessments like the Specific Test of Early Infant Motor Performance (STEP).

Collaborations: Works with multidisciplinary teams including Drs. Wagner, Katikaneni, Singh, and Brown on imaging biomarkers (MRS, DTI), pharmacodynamic measures, and clinical trials. Currently developing a portable taVNS device (BabySTrong) for bedside use.

Grants & Awards: NIH R01 grants from NINDS, COBRE pilot funding, and NM4R pilot grants support her work. Her trainee, Hunter Moss, received an F31 award for neonatal imaging research.

Current Projects:

• Phase II/III trials for taVNS paired feeding therapy
• Combination therapy with NAC and vitamin D3 in HIE infants
• Longitudinal studies on STEP motor assessment correlates