Contact

• workRoom 5043 Derby Medical School
  Royal Derby Hospital
  Uttoxeter Road
  Derby
  DE22 3DT
  UK
• Jennifer.Koenig@nottingham.ac.uk

Biography

Associate Professor in the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham based in the Derby Medical School.

Jenny obtained a BSc (Hons 1 with University Medal in Pharmacology) at the University of Sydney followed by a PhD at the University of Cambridge, working with Dr Ian Martin on electrophysiological and biochemical characterisation of purified GABA_A receptors. After a short spell in industry, Jenny moved to the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Cambridge where she worked on intracellular trafficking of G protein coupled receptors and developed a mathematical modelling approach for which she was awarded the first IUPHAR Receptor Mechanisms Research Award in 1998. From 2004-20, Jenny combined teaching pharmacology in the Cambridge Graduate Entry Medicine Course with science education and communication, through her own consultancy Science ETC. She was also Fellow and Dean of Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge from 2007 to 2015 and has since worked as a secondary school science and maths teacher and on various science curriculum development projects. She has published on curriculum and pedagogical approaches for maths in bioscience and worked on many projects in science communication, particularly in pharmacology, bringing the understanding of drug action to a wide audience. Jenny joined the University of Nottingham in 2020.

* Member of the British Pharmacological Society. She was an instructor on the Diploma in General and Advanced Receptor Theory for the British Pharmacological Society and is currently a member of the Education and Training Committee with involvement in the development of the inclusive pharmacology curriculum principles and the review of the medical pharmacology and therapeutics core curriculum.

* Councillor for IUPHAR Education Section and Co-Chair of the Online Meetings Steering Group.

* Member of the IUPHAR-Ed Core Concepts of Pharmacology Research Team.

Inclusive curriculum:

• Disability: Jenny is interested in the impact of autism, specific learning differences and mental health issues on academic study skills amongst science, engineering and medical students and worked part-time at the Disability Resource Centre in the University of Cambridge from 2012 - 2020 supporting students with study skills advice. She is now a Disability Liaison Officer for the University of Nottingham Derby Medical School.
• Ethnicity: Jenny has been investigating how ethnicity is presented both in pharmacology and across the medical curriculum and organised a Symposium at the BPS Annual Meeting Pharmacology 2024 in Harrogate, UK which brought together clinicians, pharmacogenomics experts and students to discuss the place of ethnicity in pharmacology research and education.
• Maths in Pharmacology and Medicine: Jenny has a long-standing interest in teaching maths for students who don't like or are unconfident with maths. She is a co-author responsible for quantitative skills for Scott et al Biological Science: Exploring the Science of Life, Oxford University Press, published 2022.

Expertise Summary

* Equity, diversity and inclusion in education.

* Research at the intersection of maths and biology education: analysis of curricula and pedagogy leading to improved design for both motivation and understanding.

* Teaching about dose calculations and mathematical reasoning in medicine and pharmacology.

* Understanding how students understand ethnicity in medical sciences

* Core Concepts of Pharmacology research team member, IUPHAR Education Section

Teaching Summary

Pharmacology Education

Maths and Statistics in the Life Sciences

Research Summary

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2137-834X

I have two areas of research relating to medical, and in particular pharmacology, education.

1- How students understand ethnicity across the medical curriculum but in particular within pharmacology as a discipline. We are working in a multi-disciplinary team to develop ethnicity as a cross-cutting theme within medicine and medical physiology degree programmes.

2- Core concepts of Pharmacology. I am a member of the Research Team for the Core Concepts of Pharmacology project. We have identified the core concepts of pharmacology (see publications) and are in the process of identifying the key misconceptions which limit student understanding of these concepts (two publications submitted July 2024). We are using this knowledge to develop high quality teaching and learning resources to improve pharmacology education globally.

3- Drawing upon my earlier interests in mathematics education in the life sciences, I am developing resources and teaching strategies for teaching the quantitative aspects of pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

Recent Publications

• BABEY, ANNA-MARIE, KOENIG, JENNIFER, CUNNINGHAM, MARGARET, SHIELD, ALISON, RESTINI, CAROLINA, DJOUMA, ELVAN, MRAICHE, FATIMA, MIFSUD, JANET, KELLY, JOHN P, NICOLAZZO, JOSEPH and OTHERS, 2025. Evaluating student understanding of core pharmacokinetic concepts European Journal of Pharmacology. 177256
• KELLY-LAUBSCHER, ROISIN, KOENIG, JENNIFER, CUNNINGHAM, MARGARET, ALJOFAN, MOHAMAD, BABEY, ANNA-MARIE, HAWES, MARTIN, HINTON, TINA, KARPA, KELLY, KARUNARATNE, NILUSHI, LIANG, WILLMANN and OTHERS, 2025. Evaluating student understanding of pharmacodynamics core concepts European Journal of Pharmacology. 177257
• KOENIG, JENNIFER A, OLAFUYI, OLUSOLA and PATEL, RAKESH, 2025. Addressing Ethnicity in the Design and Evaluation of an Educational Intervention on Interindividual Variation in Pharmacokinetics Pharmacology Research & Perspectives. 13(1), e70073
• GUILDING, CLARE, KELLY-LAUBSCHER, ROISIN, NETERE, ADELADLEW, BABEY, ANNA-MARIE, RESTINI, CAROLINA, CUNNINGHAM, MARGARET, KELLY, JOHN P., KOENIG, JENNIFER, KARPA, KELLY, HAWES, MARTIN, TUCKER, STEVEN J., ANGELO, THOMAS A. and WHITE, PAUL J., 2024. Developing an international concept-based curriculum for pharmacology education: The promise of core concepts and concept inventories BRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY.

• View all publications

Past Research

My early research (1992-2004) focussed on regulation of G protein coupled receptors, in particular analysing internalisation and recycling of somatostatin receptors and muscarinic receptors in terms of mathematical models.

I continued my interests in maths into mathematical education in the life sciences from 2004-present through development of online maths resources and analysis of existing curricula and development of a strong foundation of maths in the secondary school curriculum.

• BABEY, ANNA-MARIE, KOENIG, JENNIFER, CUNNINGHAM, MARGARET, SHIELD, ALISON, RESTINI, CAROLINA, DJOUMA, ELVAN, MRAICHE, FATIMA, MIFSUD, JANET, KELLY, JOHN P, NICOLAZZO, JOSEPH and OTHERS, 2025. Evaluating student understanding of core pharmacokinetic concepts European Journal of Pharmacology. 177256
• KELLY-LAUBSCHER, ROISIN, KOENIG, JENNIFER, CUNNINGHAM, MARGARET, ALJOFAN, MOHAMAD, BABEY, ANNA-MARIE, HAWES, MARTIN, HINTON, TINA, KARPA, KELLY, KARUNARATNE, NILUSHI, LIANG, WILLMANN and OTHERS, 2025. Evaluating student understanding of pharmacodynamics core concepts European Journal of Pharmacology. 177257
• KOENIG, JENNIFER A, OLAFUYI, OLUSOLA and PATEL, RAKESH, 2025. Addressing Ethnicity in the Design and Evaluation of an Educational Intervention on Interindividual Variation in Pharmacokinetics Pharmacology Research & Perspectives. 13(1), e70073
• GUILDING, CLARE, KELLY-LAUBSCHER, ROISIN, NETERE, ADELADLEW, BABEY, ANNA-MARIE, RESTINI, CAROLINA, CUNNINGHAM, MARGARET, KELLY, JOHN P., KOENIG, JENNIFER, KARPA, KELLY, HAWES, MARTIN, TUCKER, STEVEN J., ANGELO, THOMAS A. and WHITE, PAUL J., 2024. Developing an international concept-based curriculum for pharmacology education: The promise of core concepts and concept inventories BRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY.
• GUILDING, CLARE, WHITE, PAUL J., CUNNINGHAM, MARGARET, KELLY-LAUBSCHER, ROISIN, KOENIG, JENNIFER, BABEY, ANNA-MARIE, TUCKER, STEVE, KELLY, JOHN P., GORMAN, LAUREL, ARONSSON, PATRIK, HAWES, MARTIN, NGO, SUONG N. T., MISFUD, JANET, WERNERS, AREND H., HINTON, TINA, KHAN, FOUZIA, ALJOFAN, MOHAMAD and ANGELO, TOM, 2024. Defining and unpacking the core concepts of pharmacology: A global initiative BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY. 181(3), 375-392
• KOENIG, JENNIFER and TUCKER, STEVEN, 2024. What do We Mean by an Inclusive Pharmacology Education? Pharmacology Research & Perspectives. 13(1), e70050
• WHITE PJ, GUILDING C, ANGELO T, KELLY J, GORMAN L, TUCKER S, FUN A, HAN J, CHEN G, SAMAK Y, BABEY AM, CAETANO FA, SARANGI SC, KOENIG J and ET AL, 2023. Identifying the core concepts of pharmacology education: a global initiative Br J Pharmacol. 180(9), 1197-1209
• OLAFUYI, SHOLA, PATEL, RAKESH and KOENIG, JENNIFER, 2023. Teaching about ethnic variabilities in pharmacokinetics BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY. 180(1), 645
• KOENIG, JENNIFER, 2012. The mathematics landscape in bioscience undergraduate and postgraduate UK higher education
• KOENIG, JENNIFER and PIKE, NATHAN, 2010. Perspectives from the UK and the US on integrating mathematics into the teaching and learning of the biological sciences in higher education
• SPOKES, L, KOENIG, J, WEST, J, TOBBELL, R and MASON, J, 2007. Girlfriends in high places: A number of specific actions have been recommended as a means of helping to support women within SET BIOCHEMIST. 29(3), 20
• KOENIG, JENNIFER, 2007. So what can we do about it then? The Biochemist. 29(3), 40-41
• SPOKES, LUCINDA, KOENIG, JENNIFER, WEST, JAN, MASON, JACKI and TOBBELL, RACHEL, 2007. Girlfriends in high places: Mentoring for women in Science, Engineering and Technology The Biochemist. 29(3), 20-22
• KOENIG, JENNIFER A, 2004. Assessment of receptor internalization and recycling. In: Receptor signal transduction protocols Springer. 249-273
• KOENIG, JENNIFER A, 2004. Signal reception: G protein-coupled receptors Molecular Biology of the Neuron (Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology). 215
• GONZÁLEZ-MAESO, JAVIER, WISE, ALAN, GREEN, ANDREW and KOENIG, JENNIFER A, 2003. Agonist-induced desensitization and endocytosis of heterodimeric GABAB receptors in CHO-K1 cells European journal of pharmacology. 481(1), 15-23
• SMALLEY, KSM, KOENIG, JA, FENIUK, W and HUMPHREY, PPA, 2001. Ligand internalization and recycling by human recombinant somatostatin type 4 (h sst4) receptors expressed in CHO-K1 cells British journal of pharmacology. 132(5), 1102-1110
• KOENIG, JENNIFER A, 1999. Radioligand binding in intact cells Receptor Binding Techniques. 89-98
• KOENIG, JENNIFER A, KAUR, REJBINDER, DODGEON, IAIN, EDWARDSON, J MICHAEL and HUMPHREY, PATRICK PA, 1998. Fates of endocytosed somatostatin sst2 receptors and associated agonists Biochemical Journal. 336(2), 291-298
• SZEKERES, PHILIP G, KOENIG, JENNIFER A and EDWARDSON, J MICHAEL, 1998. The relationship between agonist intrinsic activity and the rate of endocytosis of muscarinic receptors in a human neuroblastoma cell line Molecular pharmacology. 53(4), 759-765
• SZEKERES, PG, KOENIG, JA and EDWARDSON, JM, 1998. Involvement of receptor cycling and receptor reserve in resensitization of muscarinic responses in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells Journal of neurochemistry. 70(4), 1694-1703
• KOENIG, JA, EDWARDSON, JM and HUMPHREY, PPA, 1997. Somatostatin receptors in Neuro2A neuroblastoma cells: ligand internalization British journal of pharmacology. 120(1), 52-59
• KOENIG, JA, 1997. G-protein-coupled receptors Molecular Biology of the Neuron. 177-204
• KOENIG, JA, EDWARDSON, JM and HUMPHREY, PPA, 1997. Somatostatin receptors in Neuro2A neuroblastoma cells: operational characteristics British journal of pharmacology. 120(1), 45-51
• KOENIG, JENNIFER A and EDWARDSON, J MICHAEL, 1997. Endocytosis and recycling of G protein-coupled receptors Trends in pharmacological sciences. 18(8), 276-287
• KOENIG, JENNIFER A and EDWARDSON, J MICHAEL, 1996. Intracellular trafficking of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor: importance of subtype and cell type. Molecular pharmacology. 49(2), 351-359
• KOENIG, JENNIFER A and EDWARDSON, J MICHAEL, 1994. Routes of delivery of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors to the plasma membrane in NG108-15 cells British journal of pharmacology. 111(4), 1023-1028
• KOENIG, JA and EDWARDSON, JM, 1994. Kinetic analysis of muscarinic ACh receptor trafficking in NG108-15 cells British Journal of Pharmacology-Proceedings Supplement. 112, 457P
• KOENIG, JENNIFER A and MARTIN, IAN L, 1992. Effect of free fatty acids on GABAA receptor ligand binding Biochemical pharmacology. 44(1), 11-15