Matthew Jennings, associate professor in the School of Clinical Sciences, is the students' choice to serve as faculty keynote speaker at Northern Michigan University's Dec. 14 commencement. He was selected through a nomination process overseen by ASNMU, the student government organization.
"I am humbled by this nomination and award," he said. "Knowing that the quiet efforts of faculty are noticed by students is motivating and refreshing. I genuinely enjoy the opportunity to work with the next generation of scientists, and find this the most rewarding part of teaching."
Jennings joined the NMU faculty in fall 2016. He serves as the program director for the clinical molecular diagnostics master's degree programs, for which he teaches in a primarily online capacity, and teaches some undergraduate courses. Jennings has also served as the chair of the Graduate Program Committee, which is responsible for all matters related to graduate programs at NMU.
As manager of the CLS molecular laboratory and laboratory director for the Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center (UMBTC), Jennings stays involved in numerous research projects. One focuses on assay development for detection of viral and bacterial pathogens. He and colleagues have developed a pair of assays for intraoperative detection of a specific mutation in glioma brain tumors.
Working in a field related to pathogen detection, Jennings said that during the coronavirus pandemic he was working on the development of assays for the detection of the virus. Jennings and colleague Paul Mann earned a provisional patent for a novel detection system for identifying the pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Although the system is independent of the COVID-19 virus, Jennings said it is possible that it could be used for COVID-19 detection.
Jennings noted that the most rewarding aspect of his work is when student learning connections are made.
“I love when the lightbulb goes off in a student's head, particularly in the laboratory setting. When students come into the laboratory, it gives meaning to lecture content.”
Jennings was appointed by NMU one year after earning his doctoral degree in biochemistry, microbiology and molecular biology from Pennsylvania State University. His academic and professional experiences prior to that were diverse.
After completing a temporary position producing the influenza vaccine in Pennsylvania upon returning to the U.S. from a 1997 research trip to Mongolia, Jennings assumed a laboratory technician role at the Coriell Institute for Medical Research in New Jersey. A connection made there led him to become the clinical laboratory supervisor at Advanced BioMedical Laboratories, a diagnostics company that performed HIV drug-resistance testing.
“That really sent me down the molecular pathway of my career, as well as a clinical pathway which qualified me for teaching in clinical sciences, and particularly for my current molecular sciences teaching position.”
Prior to pursuing his doctoral degree, Jennings worked for 12 years in an array of biotechnology and pharmaceutical settings on work related to diabetes, biotechnology and stem cell research. He served as an adjunct instructor at Camden County College in New Jersey after earning his master's degree in forensic DNA and serology from the University of Florida.
Jennings' wife, Sarah, also works at NMU as an associate professor of Nursing. The duo resides in Marquette with their two children, Ethan and Ava.
NMU's mid-year commencement will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, in the Superior Dome. The ceremony will be streamed at nmu.edu/commencement and broadcast live on WNMU-TV.