Overview
Personal Profile
John McGeehan joined the NLR team January 2024 as part of the Circular Economy for Energy Materials initiative with a focus on biochemical engineering. He leads collaborative projects on the design and application of enzyme-based technologies for sustainable chemicals, materials, and fuels. Projects include upcycling of natural and synthetic polymers, including plastics. His joint research as part of the BOTTLE consortium on the enzymatic recycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has expanded towards recycling and redesign solutions for a range of polluting plastics. John has a passion for collaborative research and works across a wide network of U.S. and international researchers.
Research Interests
Protein design
Enzyme engineering
Plastics recycling
Lignin valorization
Hydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) utilization
Sustainable materials
Professional Experience
Visiting Professor, University of Portsmouth (2023–present)
Independent Consultant, Plastics Recycling and Upcycling (2022–2024)
Secretary General, World Plastics Association (2022–2023)
Director, Centre for Enzyme Innovation, University of Portsmouth (2018–2022)
Director, Institute of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth (2017–2019)
Co-Director, Institute of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth (2016–2017)
Professor of Structural Biology, University of Portsmouth (2016–2023)
Head of Molecular Biophysics Group, University of Portsmouth (2015–2019)
Reader in Structural Biology, University of Portsmouth (2012–2016)
RCUK Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth (2007–2012)
Research Fellow, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (2005–2007)
Research Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth (2000–2005)
Postdoctoral Scientist, York Structural Biology Laboratory, University of York (2000)
Team Leader, DNA Synthesis, Life Technologies Ltd. (1999)
Research Associate, Medical Research Council Virology Unit (1996–1998)
Education/Academic Qualification
PhD, Virology, University of Glasgow
Bachelor, Microbiology, University of Glasgow
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Collaborations and Top Research Areas From the Past 5 Years
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Machine Learning-Guided Identification of PET Hydrolases from Natural Diversity
Norton-Baker, B., Komp, E., Gado, J., Denton, M., Mathews, I., Murphy, N., Erickson, E., Storment, O., Sarangi, R., Gauthier, N., McGeehan, J. & Beckham, G., 2025, In: ACS Catalysis. 15, 18, p. 16070-16083 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
5 Scopus Citations -
Process Innovations to Enable Viable Enzymatic Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Recycling
Murphy, N., Dempsey, S., DesVeaux, J., Uekert, T., Chang, A., Mailaram, S., Alherech, M., Alt, H., Ramirez, K., Norton-Baker, B., Bell, E., Singer, C., Pickford, A., McGeehan, J., Sobkowicz, M. & Beckham, G., 2025, In: Nature Chemical Engineering. 2, p. 309-320 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Polyhydroxyalkanoates in Emerging Recycling Technologies for a Circular Materials Economy
Rosetto, G., McGeehan, J., Knauer, K., Knott, B., Moon, H., Curley, J., Uekert, T. & Clarke, R., 2024, In: Materials Advances.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
24 Scopus Citations -
The Reaction Mechanism of the Ideonella sakaiensis PETase Enzyme: Article No. 65
Burgin, T., Pollard, B., Knott, B., Mayes, H., Crowley, M., McGeehan, J., Beckham, G. & Woodcock, H. L., 2024, In: Communications Chemistry. 7, 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
56 Scopus Citations -
Biochemical and Structural Characterization of a Sphingomonad Diarylpropane Lyase for Cofactorless Deformylation: Article No. e2212246120
Kuatsjah, E., Zahn, M., Chen, X., Kato, R., Hinchen, D., Konev, M., Katahira, R., Orr, C., Wagner, A., Zou, Y., Haugen, S., Ramirez, K., Michener, J., Pickford, A., Kamimura, N., Masai, E., Houk, K., McGeehan, J. & Beckham, G., 2023, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 120, 4, 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
20 Scopus Citations
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American Chemical Society (External organization)
Ginley, D. (Member), Ware, L. (Member), Allen, B. (Fellow), Rumbles, G. (Member), Perkins, C. (Member), Johnson, D. (Member), Ferrell, J. (Member), Arellano Trevino, M. (Member), Neale, N. (Member), Bell, R. (Member), Klein, R. (Member), Aubry, T. (Member), Bharadwaj, V. (Member), Wieliczka, B. (Member), Hermosilla Palacios, A. (Member), Puente-Urbina, A. (Member), Maughan, A. (Member), Wiley, S. (Member), Kluherz, T. (Member), Kurtz, S. (Member), Schichtl, Z. (Member), Dong, Y. (Member), Thodika, M. (Member), Carvalho, Q. (Member), Truong, T. (Member), Clarke, R. (Member), Kiani, D. (Member), Lee, M. (Member), McGeehan, J. (Member), Brady, N. (Member), Yang, B. (Member), Nozik, A. (Member), Pennell, S. (Member), Wu, I. (Member), Lany, S. (Member) & Myers, A. (Member)
0001Activity: Membership › Membership of network
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Gordon Research Conference on Plastics Recycling and Upcycling
McGeehan, J. (Chair)
2023Activity: Participating in or organizing an event › Organizing a conference, workshop, ...
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Royal Society of Biology (External organization)
McGeehan, J. (Fellow)
0001Activity: Membership › Membership of network
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Royal Society of Chemistry (External organization)
Rumbles, G. (Member), Green, P. (Fellow), Marder, S. (Fellow), Dong, Y. (Member), McGeehan, J. (Fellow) & Nozik, A. (Fellow)
0001Activity: Membership › Membership of network
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Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) (External organization)
McGeehan, J. (Member)
0001Activity: Membership › Membership of network