Institute of Life Science 1 internal Atrium view up
Geertje is pictured in the ILS1 microbiology lab

Dr Geertje Van Keulen

Associate Professor, Biomedical Sciences

Telephone number

+44 (0) 1792 602669
Academic Office - 504
Fifth Floor
Institute of Life Science 1
Singleton Campus
Available For Postgraduate Supervision

About

Dr Geertje Van Keulen (she/her) is Associate Professor in Microbial Biochemistry in the Institute of Life Science at Swansea University.

She leads interdisciplinary research and innovation teams with microbiology at its core, expanding understanding into and sustainably exploiting the chemical and material properties of microbes in living, manufactured and natural (soil) environments. Her research links antibiotics, water repellency and materials, thereby switching focus between microbial to manufactured to soils with insights generated in one discipline quickly applied to another, and back, for generating step changes in knowledge and sustainable innovation. She is on the Academic Career Pathway in Enhanced Innovation and Engagement.

Geertje furthermore collaborates with hundreds of women in STEMM, especially through the public engagement and gender equality activities that she leads through Soapbox Science Swansea.

Visit her individual lab page.

Areas Of Expertise

  • Interdisciplinary Science
  • Microbial (Soil) Biochemistry and Physiology
  • Biomaterials: Anticorrosion/Antibiofilm/Nanoadhesives
  • Metals & AMR in soils
  • Surface and Soil Water Repellency
  • Metabolic Engineering (Primary/C1/ Specialized Metabolism & Antibiotics)

Career Highlights

Teaching Interests
Students engaged in Geertje's Year 2 practical on carbohydrates

Geertje lectures on the Genetics and Biochemistry BSc and MSci degree programmes. Specifically, her research-informed teaching leads/contributes to modules on Advanced Metabolism (coordinator), Microbiology, Metabolic Regulation & Enzymology,  Biotechnology & Protein Engineering, and Energy and Metabolism: The Reactions of Life.

Geertje is furthermore training (Medical) Biochemistry students to develop their skills and competencies in numeracy, chemical data, literature surveying and research throughout the years of study and during their final year research projects. 

Research Award Highlights Collaborations