Dr Geertje Van Keulen

• Untitled (current)

  PhD

  Other supervisor: Dr Christopher Phillips

• Development of advanced corrosion-resistant coatings with synthetic biology-inspired protein technologies (awarded 2023)

  PhD

  Other supervisor: Prof David Penney

• Novel anti-microbial metallic surfaces for infection control (current)

  EngD

  Other supervisor: Dr Rowan Brown

• Understanding the sanitising efficacy of a new, environmentally friendly hot tub water treatment product, eco3spa (awarded 2023)

  MSc

  Other supervisor: Prof Chedly Tizaoui

• PM-127 Energy and Metabolism: The Reactions of Life

  This module provides an introduction to bioenergetics and the chemical structure of carbohydrates as well as a discussion of the central metabolic pathways by which energy from food is used to fuel the synthesis of the energy currency molecule ATP (with particular attention to glycolysis, the citric acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation). The concept of tissue and organ specificity is introduced and a brief introduction to hormonal regulation by insulin and glucagon.

• PM-134 Microbiology

  This module introduces students into the small intricate world of microbiology and its implications for human health and disease. It will explore the microbial universe from the living (bacteria and fungi) to the non-living (viruses and bacteriophage). Starting with fundamental concepts, students will learn about these organisms and how they differ from their eukaryotic counterparts in their cellular and genetic structures. The ability of microorganisms to cause human disease will be explored through key example organisms. This module will then go on to explore the beneficial sides of microbiology, and how we can manipulate microorganisms for the production of beneficial products. Through a combination of lectures and laboratory sessions, students will gain insights into the fundamentals of microbiology through key example microorganisms with a focus on human disease. Students that complete this module will be equipped with a general overview of the field of microbiology.

• PM-245 Metabolic Regulation: Enzymes & Signal Transduction

  This module reviews the basic elements of enzyme kinetics, including their mechanism and inhibition. The control of enzyme function by allosteric mechanisms is considered together with an appreciation of the significance of sigmoid kinetics. An overview of coenzymes and (metal) co-factors in enzyme function is given together with a description of the role played by vitamins in co-enzyme production.

• PM-278 Advanced Metabolism

  The modules seeks to expand upon the first year metabolism module (PM-127) to encompass the metabolism of other biomolecules and further additions to central glycolysis and the TCA cycle. The module discusses the uptake and metabolism of carbohydrates other than glucose, the use of carbohydrates in the pentose phosphate and Entner-Douderoff pathways and disease implications. Fatty acid and cholesterol metabolism and transport systems are discussed, alongside clinical implications and modern therapeutic drugs that target these pathways. The pathways of amino acid synthesis and degradation in humans are described along with an introduction to the urea cycle.

• PM-278C Metabolaeth Uwch

  Nod y modiwl hwn yw ehangu ar fodiwl metabolaeth y flwyddyn gyntaf (PM-127) i gynnwys metabolaeth biofoleciwlau eraill ac ychwanegu mwy am glycolsis canolog a'r cylchred TCA. Mae'r modiwl yn trafod ymlifiad a metabolaeth carbohydradau ac eithrio glucos, y defnydd o garbohydradau yn y llwybrau ffosffad pentos ac Entner-Douderoff a¿r goblygiadau clefyd. Caiff metabolaeth asid brasterog a cholesterol a systemau cludo eu trafod, ynghyd â goblygiadau clinigol a chyffuriau therapiwtig modern sy'n targedu'r llwybrau hyn.Caiff llwybrau synthesis asidau amino a diraddiad mewn pobl eu disgrifio ynghyd â chyflwyniad i'r gylchred wrea.

• PM-344 Capstone Project

  The aim of this module is to provide a capstone experience to students¿ learning, through participating in their own enquiry-based research project, with guidance from an academic supervisor. The project may be laboratory or non-laboratory based, but it will always involve a research question that is drawn from the literature, and focused on a topic relevant to the life sciences. It will ask a research question and involve the critical analysis of research findings. Students will refine their oral and written communication skills to a graduate level through an oral presentation and dissertation on their research findings and conclusions.

• PM-366 Teaching Science

  This module is for students with an interest in teaching, science communication, and medicine. Students will complete an enquiry-based research project, based within the field of pedagogy or science communication, with guidance from an academic supervisor. Projects may be completed in collaboration with local schools/colleges, community groups, science outreach programmes (e.g. Oriel Science), in clinical/patient settings, or within Higher Education. Students will engage with workshops and digital resources to introduce various themes surrounding pedagogy and science communication to prepare them for their research project. Students will be required to critically analyse their research findings and produce a teaching or outreach activity/resource. Students will refine their oral and written communication skills to graduate level through an oral presentation and dissertation.

• PMRM04 Dissertation (Research)

  This module builds on the knowledge and skills developed in teaching components in part one of their relevant programme. Students will work independently in order to critically explore and add to the evidence base for a topic of relevance to their area of study.

• Understanding the sanitising efficacy of a new, environmentally friendly hot tub water treatment product, eco3spa (with Surespa Ltd) 2021 - 2023

  Surespa Ltd and M2A-funded studentship , with Dr Chedly Tizaoui and Dr Chris O. Phillips, £15k

• Development of advanced corrosion-resistant coatings with synthetic biology-inspired protein technologies 2018 - 2022

  The UK’s Ministry of Defence ‘Materials for Strategic Advantage’ Programme funds competitive PhD studentships to develop ‘Novel Materials for Defence Materials for Strategic Advantage’. , with Professor David Penney , 77,000

• Phase II Development of a synbio-inspired composite adhesive for transparent defense materials 2018 - 2020

  This collaborative project is part of the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) Themed program ‘Synthetic biology for transparent materials’. , with Dr Chris O. Phillips, Dr Gethin Allen, Dr Ben Clifford , 150,000

• Developing a bio-inspired adhesive technology for transparent defence materials (Phase I) 2017 - 2018

  This collaborative project is part of the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) Themed program ‘Synthetic biology for transparent materials’. , with Dr Chris O. Phillips, Dr Gethin Allen, Dr Ben Clifford, Dr Sholeem Griffin, 80,000

• Developing a novel protein-based coating technology for anti-corrosion of magnesium light alloy materials 2016 - 2017

  This collaborative project is part of the Centre for Defence Enterprise (CDE) Themed program ‘Synthetic biology for novel materials’. , with Professor Geraint Williams, Professor David Penney, Dr Sholeem Griffin, Dr Gethin Allen, Dr Rama, 140,000

• MSc by Research studentship ‘Sanitising efficacy of a new Hot Tub Water enzyme water treatment product’ (with Eco3Spa /Hot tubs UK) 2018 - 2021

  , with Dr Chedly Tizaoui, Dr Chris O. Phillips, £15k

• Avenues of Commercialisation for Nano and Micro technologies (ACNM) 2018 - 2021

  Academic Contributor (CoI) to ERDF funded project, with Swansea PI Dr Lewis Francis, ERDF funding £1.3m (Swansea); total project worth £2.7M; with Cardiff University)

• A cross-disciplinary soil-proteomics and modelling approach for predicting switches between hydrophilic and hydrophobic soil surface responses 2013 - 2016

  NERC funded collaborative research project with University of Plymouth and Rothamsted Research (NE/K004638/1 & NE/K004212/1), with Prof G. Peter Matthews, Prof Stefan H. Doerr, Dr Lewis Francis, Dr Ed Dudley, Dr Richard Whalley, £868k (Project total)

• Improving the efficiency of natural product expression and purification in bacterial strains of pharmaceutical relevance by biomimetic culturing (with Demuris Ltd) 2017

  BBSRC-NIBB NPRONET funded Business Interaction Voucher Project, with Dr Nick Allenby (Demuris), £10k (total amount £20k)

• Production, upscaling and analysis of (mixtures of) novel natural products using a biomimetic culturing approach 2015

  BBSRC-NIBB NPRONET funded Proof-of-Concept Project, with Dr Joel Loveridge, Dr Ed Dudley, £63k

• Developing a protein-directed technology for biomineral-based protective and bioadhesive materials for defence applications 2023 - 2024

  Dstl/DASA funded project in the Engineering Biology for Defence and Security program (Phase I), with Prof Richard Johnston, Dr Ricardo Del Sol, Dr Matt Hitchings, Dr Craig Allan, Dstl £100k

Geertje is the lead-organiser of Soapbox Science Swansea, an annual public science outreach event that aims to change the public perception of female researchers and their careers in STEM by taking science to the streets of Swansea. You can view video compilations of previous events held in 2015 and 2017. 

Geertje also trains researchers in how to become a better public speaker, focussing on how to reach the general public that is not upfront interested to hear about science. 

She is a founder member of SwanSTEMWoMen, Swansea’s women in STEM community. 

Geertje also supports other public outreach events such as the Swansea Science Festival, Super Science Saturday/Sunday, School visits, and the Swansea University STEM Club for Girls. 

Geertje is raising awareness of current microbial topics to politicians in the Cross Party Group for STEM at the Welsh Parliament. She has responsibilities in raising relevant issues and current affairs in microbiology to Members of the Senedd, which includes antimicrobial resistance.  

She leads discussions and develops Policy with the Microbiology Society policy team, especially covering ‘A Sustainable Future: 

The role of microbiology in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals’, focussing on Soil Health and the UN SDGs. 

She held a major responsibility for the scientific coordination of the 2017 Science at the Assembly event on ‘Antimicrobial Resistance’ in which research and impact of antimicrobial resistance in Wales was presented to politicians, policy-makers, scientists and stakeholders. 

 Geertje also receives request for engagement with mainstream (radio/TV/newspaper) and social media: 

She was contributed to a BBC Future video celebrating female scientists on Ada Lovelace Day 2017, with her contribution starting at 2min26. 

She has furthermore appeared as speaking guest on BBC One Wales' topical debate programme The Hour on the topic of Women in Wales, in recognition of her activities towards gender equality, including Soapbox Science. 

She has published articles and blogs on science topics and gender balance in STEM in e.g. the South Wales Evening Post, The Conservation UK, the Soapbox Science blogging site, and the Disruptive STEMinist blog. 

• External Examiner for PhD, MPhil and MRes degrees, Manchester, Newcastle, UEA, Nottingham, Strathclyde, SHU, UCD

  2011 - 2022

• External Examiner MSc Microbiology and MSc Biotechnology, Northumbria University

  2018 - 2022

• External Examiner BSc and MSci Biochemistry degrees, University of East Anglia

  2017 - 2021

• External Examiner for BSc Microbiology, University College Dublin, Republic of Ireland

  2022 - 2025

• Member of the Governing Board of M2RI, Materials & Manufacturing Research Institute Swansea University

  2023 - Present

• Co-Champion Outreach Swansea University Medical School, SUMS Outreach

  2022 - Present

• Expert Adviser Technical Panel CH/216/-/3 Products and Biofilms, The British Standards Institute

  2022 - Present