dr.ir. J (Jean-Paul) Meijnen

Jean-Paul Meijnen was born on 1 October 1981 in Wageningen, the Netherlands. After completing his bachelor’s degree in Biology and Medical Laboratory Research at the Arnhem and Nijmegen University of Applied Sciences (HAN) in 2003, he continued his studies with a master’s degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology at Wageningen University, from which he graduated in 2005. In 2010, he obtained his PhD from Delft University of Technology in the Industrial Microbiology group. His doctoral thesis was entitled C5 Technology in Pseudomonas: Construction of D-Xylose Metabolic Pathways.

Following his PhD, Jean-Paul worked as a postdoctoral researcher at KU Leuven from 2010 to 2013. During this period, he gained experience in applied genetic research using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In 2013, he transitioned to industry and joined Dyadic Netherlands as a project leader, a position he held until 2016.

He subsequently served as a project leader at DuPont Industrial Biosciences from 2016 to 2018. From 2018 to 2020, he worked as a project leader at Dutch DNA Biotech, where he was appointed Director of Research & Development in 2020, a role he fulfilled until 2021.

In 2021, Dutch DNA Biotech was acquired by Ginkgo Bioworks, where Jean-Paul was appointed Senior Director. From 2022 onward, he combined this role with that of Site Manager of Ginkgo Bioworks Netherlands, assuming responsibility for both the scientific strategy and the day-to-day operational management of the Dutch site.

Jean-Paul has extensive experience in leading multidisciplinary teams and managing complex research and development programs. His strengths lie in a structured and disciplined approach, enabling him to perform effectively under pressure. He combines scientific depth with a practical mindset and entrepreneurial drive, particularly in the development of strain development programs and the scaling of biotechnological platforms.