By Kaylee Alivo

Nate Jenkins, an associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Physiology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, recently received national recognition for his impactful research and professional contributions. He earned the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award from his alma mater, Messiah University, and received the American Physiology Society (APS) Research Career Enhancement Award, which supported his advanced training in the measurement of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA).

Jenkins traveled to Messiah in Mechanicsburg, PA to accept the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, which recognizes graduates who have made significant contributions within 15 years of graduation.

“This was an interesting one and one that I did not at all expect,” Jenkins said. “To have been selected was—and is—so incredibly humbling.”

He credited his undergraduate experience and mentors at Messiah for laying the foundation for his professional path. 

In November, Jenkins visited the University of Missouri (Mizzou) in Columbia, MO to train with Jackie Limberg, associate professor at Mizzou and a leading expert in MSNA, a technique that measures sympathetic nervous system activity in conscious humans. This specialized training, funded by the APS Research Career Enhancement Award, enhances his Applied Physiology and Lifestyle Medicine Lab’s exploration of neurovascular mechanisms that contribute to cardiovascular disease. 

“This intensive training would not have been possible without the APS’ support,” Jenkins said. “Jackie and her team were incredibly gracious hosts. Beyond being internationally renowned microneurographers, they are great humans!”

During his visit, Jenkins also present at the Mizzou NEP Seminar, where he discussed his research on how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) contribute to premature cardiometabolic disease. His current NIH-funded study “Interactions of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Sleep Disruption, and Mechanistic Links to Vascular Dysfunction in Emerging Adults” highlights how ACEs are linked to reduced vascular function and poor sleep quality, both of which accelerate disease development.

“Our preliminary evidence shows that improving sleep quality might help restore vascular health,” he said. “We’re currently conducting a larger study to test this hypothesis with greater confidence.”