Derren Heyes

Derren Heyes is a Senior Researcher in Molecular Enzymology at the University of Manchester, specializing in the photochemical mechanisms of light-activated proteins. His work focuses on enzymes such as protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase (POR) and phytochromes, using advanced spectroscopic and kinetic techniques to elucidate catalytic pathways. He contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to sustainable bioenergy and health. Heyes holds a PhD from the University of Sheffield (2000) and has been with Manchester since 2005.

His research integrates biophysical methods like laser-based spectroscopy and EPR to study protein dynamics during photocycles. Key projects include the GENPENZ initiative on photocatalysis and collaborations on cyanobacteriochromes. Heyes co-leads a Biophysical Spectroscopy facility and contributes to equipment like the Biochemical and Biophysical Sciences Technology Platform.

His recent studies explore light-driven enzyme reactions, triplet-state electron transfer, and enzyme regulation via B12 cofactors. He has published over 100 articles, with recent trends in photocatalytic design, neurodegenerative metabolism, and bioengineering applications. Heyes actively participates in international networks and contributes to datasets on protein structures and enzymatic mechanisms.