Joanna McgouranView profile
Associate Professor
Dr. Joanna Mcgouran is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Trinity College Dublin, where she leads research in translational organic chemistry and chemical biology. She holds a 1st class MChem and D.Phil. from the University of Oxford and completed postdoctoral training in both the Department of Medicine and the Chemistry Department at Oxford, working with Professors Benedikt Kessler and Tom Brown, respectively. In 2016, she joined Trinity College Dublin as the Schuler Assistant Professor in Translational Organic Chemistry, advancing to Associate Professor. 1st class MChem, University of Oxford D.Phil., University of Oxford (Supervisor: Prof. Ben Davis) Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Medicine, University of Oxford (Prof. Benedikt Kessler) Postdoctoral Researcher, Chemistry Department, University of Oxford (Prof. Tom Brown) Her research focuses on the development of activity-based probes and inhibitors targeting enzymes involved in DNA repair and ubiquitin signaling pathways. She investigates the mechanisms of nucleases like SNM1A and deubiquitinating enzymes using synthetic chemistry, biochemical assays, and proteomics. Her work aims to understand enzyme function in DNA damage response and develop novel therapeutic strategies for diseases including cancer. Her recent publications reveal a strong trend in designing chemical tools for probing enzyme activity, particularly through modified nucleosides, covalent labeling, and photocatalytic methods. She frequently publishes in high-impact journals such as Nature , ACS Chemical Biology , and Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry , emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches that bridge organic synthesis and biological application. MA, University of Oxford, 2009 Scholarship, University of Oxford, 2002–2005 Dr. Mcgouran has secured significant research funding from Science Foundation Ireland, the Irish Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, and Trinity College Dublin. Her funded projects support the development of probes for DNA processing enzymes, cyclic peptide inhibitors of nucleotide excision repair, and tools for studying p53 deubiquitination. While student names are not listed in the provided text, her active research group and grant leadership imply she mentors PhD and Master’s students. She leads multiple projects on disulfide modification, oligonucleotide probes, and activity-based profiling, often collaborating across disciplines. Her laboratory is involved in creating innovative chemical tools that enable precise interrogation of enzyme activity in live cells and disease models.
