Personal profile
Research interests
Structure, Function and Application of Novel Biocatalysts
- Organic Chemistry - Synthesis and analysis of biotransformation substrates and product standards.
- Microbiology - Screening for new microbial transformations; optimisation of biocatalyst production.
- Molecular biology - Cloning, expression and manipulation of novel genes of interest.
- Structural biology - Investigation and tailoring of enzyme structure and function
We are currently studying a variety of novel enzymatic systems including:
- Carbon-carbon bond lyases and hydrolases
- Enzymatic transformation of substrates containing silicon
- Cytochromes P450 and Flavin-dependent oxidases
- Comparative structural biology of enzyme superfamilies (Dehydrogenases, Oxidases)
Close collaboration between the YSBL group and Chemistry Department at the University of York ensures that facilities are available for all aspects of research into this area of chemical biology, from organic synthesis and analysis through to protein structure studies.
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Biomimetic total synthesis of ten Securinega alkaloids
UNSWORTH, W. P., Waddell, L. J. N., Jiang, Z., GROGAN, G. J. & Lichman, B. R., 13 Jan 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Organic Chemistry Frontiers. 6 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Parallel evolution of plant alkaloid biosynthesis from bacterial-like decarboxylases
GROGAN, G. J., WOOD, C., Jiang, Z., Armanath, I., Waddell, L. J. N., Batey, U. S., Daza, O. S., NEWLING, K., James, S., UNSWORTH, W. P. & Lichman, B. R., 13 Jan 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: New Phytologist. 20 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Synthesis of the Proposed Structure of Celacarfurine and Analogues Using Sequential Cascade Ring Expansion Reactions
Tam, J. K. F., Waddell, L. J. N., Palate, K. Y., Whitwood, A. C., Longcake, A., Probert, M. R., Grogan, G., Lichman, B. R. & Unsworth, W. P., 20 Jan 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Organic letters. 6 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile
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A ‘minted’ method for the sustainable, bio-based production of menthol enantiomers
Lichman, B. R. (Principal investigator), GROGAN, G. J. (Co-investigator), O'TOOLE, P. J. (Co-investigator) & UNSWORTH, W. P. (Co-investigator)
BBSRC (BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL)
2/02/26 → 1/02/29
Project: Research project (funded) › Research
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Enabling Native Amine Dehydrogenases (nat-AmDHs) for the Sustainable Synthesis of Chiral Amines
GROGAN, G. J. (Principal investigator), O'TOOLE, P. J. (Co-investigator) & UNSWORTH, W. P. (Co-investigator)
1/10/25 → 30/09/28
Project: Research project (funded) › Research
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Discovery and reconstitution of securinine alkaloid biosynthesis
Lichman, B. R. (Principal investigator), GROGAN, G. J. (Co-investigator), O'TOOLE, P. J. (Co-investigator) & UNSWORTH, W. P. (Co-investigator)
BBSRC (BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL)
3/06/24 → 2/06/27
Project: Research project (funded) › Research
Activities
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In vitro biocatalytic synthesis of nicotine alkaloids. Enzyme Engineering XXVIII Helsingor Denmark 21-10-25
GROGAN, G. J. (Keynote/plenary speaker)
21 Oct 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Synthesis of Amide Pharmaceuticals Using Amide Bond Synthetases ESAB Webinar Novel Enzymes 24-01-25
Grogan, G. J. (Invited speaker)
24 Jan 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Synthesis of Amide Pharmaceuticals Using Amide Bond Synthetases Biocat 2024 Hamburg Germany 29-08-24
Grogan, G. J. (Invited speaker)
29 Aug 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
Datasets
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Crystallographic Images for PDB deposition code 9HRJ
Grogan, G. J. (Creator), University of York, 25 Mar 2025
DOI: 10.15124/bb372531-5f97-499f-a540-313ac38a568a
Dataset
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Sequence and HMM libraries
Elisée, E. (Creator), Ducrot, L. (Creator), Méheust, R. (Creator), Bastard, K. (Creator), Fossey-Jouenne, A. (Creator), Pelletier, E. (Creator), Petit, J. L. (Creator), Stam, M. (Creator), Grogan, G. (Creator), Berardinis, V. D. (Creator), Zaparucha, A. (Creator), Vallenet, D. (Creator) & Vergne-Vaxelaire, C. (Creator), Zenodo, 12 Sept 2023
Dataset
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Data underlying the chapter and publication: Native amine dehydrogenases can catalyze the direct reduction of carbonyl compounds to alcohols in the absence of ammonia
Fossey-Jouenne, A. (Creator), Ducrot, L. (Creator), Jongkind, E. (Creator), Elisée, E. (Creator), Zaparucha, A. (Creator), Grogan, G. (Creator), Paul, C. (Creator) & Vergne-Vaxelaire, C. (Creator), 4TU.ResearchData, 2 Aug 2024
DOI: 10.4121/60aff897-18b0-4dda-ad79-4a92597b90f9
Dataset