Trefor Jenkins

Trefor Jenkins (born 24 July 1932 in Merthyr Vale[1]) is a human geneticist from South Africa, noted for his work on DNA.

He came to Africa as a mine medical officer in Southern Rhodesia in 1960 where he first encountered sickle cell anaemia which started his interest in genetics.

Jenkins was also a human rights activist, and was one of six doctors, who questioned the ethics of the medical establishment and the previous South African government after the death, in custody, of Steve Biko, the Black Consciousness leader, in September 1977.

He retired from full-time professorial duties in 1997, but continues to teach at Witwatersrand University and work at the Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service.

[3] Jenkins headed the Department of Human Genetics, School of Pathology, at the former South African Institute for Medical Research and at the University of the Witwatersrand, between June 1975 and September 1998.