John Schjenken

John Schjenken

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences


Dr John Schjenken undertook his undergraduate study and postgraduate work at the University of Newcastle for which he was awarded a PhD in 2011 on the function of the endogenous retroviral envelope protein, syncytin-1 in the human placenta. He is currently an ARC research associate at the Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide working with Prof Sarah Robertson's group responsible for the development of projects utilising animal models that identify and characterise novel seminal fluid signalling mediators and their role in female tract immune function, pregnancy quality and offspring health.

Dr John Schjenken is an early career researcher establishing himself in the field of reproductive biology and reproductive immunology. His background is in reproductive biology and since beginning his post-doctoral position at the Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School at the University of Adelaide, he has been establishing himself in the field of reproductive immunology. His research interests lie in the broad area of immunology of reproduction focusing on defining the molecular mechanisms that regulate female tract responses to seminal fluid, identifying novel seminal fluid signalling mediators, and determining the impact of these mediators on pregnancy quality and offspring health.

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2010 - ongoing ARC Research Associate University of Adelaide
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2016 Award Best Early Career Researcher Poster Presentation University of Adelaide Australia 700
    2016 Award Best Early Career Researcher Oral Presentation University of Adelaide Australia 250
    2016 Award Co-recipient of the best presentation from a Robinson Research Institute Member University of Adelaide Australia 125
    2016 Award People's Choice Award University of Adelaide Australia 250
    2015 Award Best Early Career Researcher Oral Presentation University of Adelaide, Robinson Research Institute Australia -
    2014 Award Society for Reproductive Biology ECR Collaborative Award Society for Reproductive Biology - $1500
    2014 Award International Best Abstract Award representing Australia Society for the Study of Reproduction United States -
    2013 Award Best ECR Poster Award. Robinson Research Insitiute, University of Adelaide Australia -
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    2006 - 2011 University of Newcastle Australia PhD
    2005 - 2005 University of Newcastle Australia Australia Bachelor of Science (Biotechnology Honours Class 1)
    2002 - 2004 University of Newcastle Australia Australia Bachelor of Science (Biotechnology)
  • Research Interests

Date Project/ No. Investigators Funding Body Amount
2011 Faculty International Conference Award Schjenken JE University of Adelaide, Faculty of Health Sciences $2400
2013 Robinson Institute ECR International Travel Grant Schjenken JE University of Adelaide, Robinson Research Institute $3375
2014 Healthy Development Adelaide Travel Grant Schjenken JE Healthy Development Adelaide $1000
2014 The role of distal regulatory elements in setting SATB1 expression levels in Tregs; implications in autoimmune disease and maternal immune tolerance to the foetus. Sadlon T and Schjenken JE University of Adelaide, Robinson Research Institute Innovation Seed Funding Grant $25,000
2015 Perturbation of Seminal Fluid Signalling in the Female Reproductive Tract in a Mouse Model of Paternal Obesity. Schjenken JE and Fullston T University of Adelaide, Robinson Research Institute Innovation Seed Funding Grant $30,000
2016 In vivo functional validation of a disease linked super enhancer in IBD Sadlon T and Schjenken JE University of Adelaide, Robinson Research Institute Innovation Seed Funding Grant $25,000
2016 “The conception of a preconception resource-#rightmessage #rightaudience #righttime #conceptionhealthmatters” Brown HM, Rumbold A, Penno M, Bianco-Miotto T, Diener K, Breen, J, Fullston T, Schjenken JE, Donnelley M and Sharkey D University of Adelaide, Robinson Research Institute Engaging Opportunities Program $25,000
2016 Impact of Phthalate exposure on paternal programming of offspring neurological phenotype Rissman E, Robertson SA and Schjenken JE CHHE Pilot Project Program supported in part by NIEHS under award number P30ES025128 $37,875 USD

 

Teaching

Student Assessment: University of Adelaide Honours (2012-present)

Bachelor of Health Sciences - HRHII lecture - Immune system in pregnancy (2015-present)

Robinson Research Institute Honours Program - Tutorial - Data collection and Recording (2014-present)

Research Project in Reproductive Health workshop - Tutorial - Laboratory Experimental Design (2015-present)

 

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2016 - 2019 Co-Supervisor The contribution of immune regulatory MicroRNAs in endometriosis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Kavita Panir
    2015 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Regulators of Seminal Fluid Signalling and their Impact on Gene Expression during the Peri-Implantation Period of Pregnancy Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Hon Yeung Chan
    2013 - 2018 Co-Supervisor T Regulatory Cells in Early Pregnancy in Mice Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Bihong Zhang
  • Other Supervision Activities

    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2018 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Macrophage alterations in microRNA deficient mouse models of endometriosis The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences (Honours) (First Class Honours Award) Honours Full Time Kavita Bikram Shah
  • Committee Memberships

    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2017 - ongoing Council American Society for Reproductive Immunology - Social Media Committee - United States
    2016 - ongoing Member Society for Reproductive Biology Council SRB Australia
    2016 - ongoing Member School of Medicine and Robinson Research Institute Honours Committee University of Adelaide -
    2014 - ongoing Member Society for Reproductive Biology Early Career Researcher Representative Society for Reproductive Biology Australia
    2014 - ongoing Member School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide. ECR committee University of Adelaide Australia
    2012 - ongoing Member Society for the Study of Reproduction Trainee Affairs Committee Society for the Study of Reproduction United States
  • Memberships

    Date Role Membership Country
    2012 - ongoing Member Healthy Development Adelaide Australia
    2012 - ongoing Member Society for Reproductive Biology Australia
    2011 - ongoing Member Society for the Study of Reproduction United States
    2011 - ongoing Member Society for Reproduction and Fertility United Kingdom

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