Philip John
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Emeritus Professor
Emeritus Professor
Areas of interest
- Scientific basis of natural indigo extraction from woad and tropical indigo crops - maximising yields of indigo and enhancing indigo purity
- Microbiology and optimisation of the fermenting indigo vat used for traditional, sustainable indigo dyeing
Background
Advisor and consultant to natural indigo producers and dyers worldwide.
Esteem Factors
- 2014 Invited Speaker and Discussion Leader: International Workshop on Natural Dyes - a Value Chain in Natural Dyes, Hyderabad, India.
- 2013 Invited Speaker: Reviving the tradition of Natural Indigo - Spindigo: an example in EU countries. University of Kurume, Japan.
- 2011 Invited Lecture: The Scientific Basis of Natural Indigo Extraction and Dyeing. Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China.
- 2001-2004 Coordinator of the 3.4m euro EU project, Sustainable Production of Plant-derived Indigo SPINDIGO.
Selected publications
John, P. (2009) Indigo - Extraction. In: Handbook of Natural Colorants. Bechtold, T. and Mussak, R. (eds)John Wiley and Sons, Chichester. Chapter 8, pp 105-134. ISBN: 978-0-470-51199-2 doi: 10.1002/9780470744970
John, P. Angelini, L.G. (2009) Indigo - Agricultural Aspects. In: Handbook of Natural Colorants. Bechtold, T. and Mussak, R. (eds) John Wiley and Sons, Chichester. Chapter 7, pp 75-104. ISBN: 978-0-470-51199-2 doi: 10.1002/9780470744970
Blackburn, R.S., Bechtold, T. and John, P. (2009) The development of indigo reduction methods and pre-reduced indigo products. Coloration Technology 125 (4). pp. 193-207. ISSN: 1472-3581 doi: 10.1111/j.1478-4408.2009.00197.x
Vuorema, A., John, P., Keskitalo, M., Mahon, M.F., Kulandainathan, M.A., Marken, F. (2009) Anthroquinone catalysis in the glucose-driven reduction of indigo to Leuco-indigo. Langmuir. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 11 (11) pp. 1816-1824. ISSN: 1463-9076 doi: 10.1039/b814149e
Vuorema, A., John, P., Jenkins, T.A., and Marken, F. (2006) A rotating disc voltammetry study of the 1,8-dihydroxyquinone mediated reduction of colloidal indigo. Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry 10, (10) pp. 865-871. ISSN: 1432-8488 doi: 10.1007/s10008-006-0149-4
Nicholson, S.K. and John, P. (2005) The mechanism of bacterial indigo reduction. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 68 (1), pp. 117-12. ISSN: 0175-7598 doi: 10.1007/s00253-004-1839-4
Nicholson, S.K. and John, P. (2004) Bacterial Indigo Reduction. Biocatalysis and Biotransformation 22 (5-6), pp. 397-400. ISSN: 1024-2422 doi: 10.1080/10242420400024490
García-Macías, P. and John, P. (2004) Formation of natural indigo derived from woad (Isatis tinctoria L.) in relation to product purity, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 52, (26), pp. 7891-7896. ISSN: 0021-8561 doi:10.1021/jf0486803
Padden, A.N., P., Collins, M.D., Hutson, R. and Hall, A.R. (2000) Indigo-reducing Clostridium isatidis isolated from a variety of sources, including a tenth century Viking woad vat. Journal of Archaeological Science, 27 (10), pp. 953-956. ISSN: 0305-4403 doi: 10.1006/jasc.1999.0524
Compton, R.G., Perkin, S.J., Gamblin, D.P., Davis, J., Marken, F., Padden, A.N. and John, P. (2000) Clostridium isatidis colonised carbon electrodes: voltammetric evidence for direct solid state redox processes. New Journal of Chemistry, 24 (3), pp. 179-181. ISSN: 1144-0546 doi: 10.1039/a909172f
Padden, A.N., Dillon, V.M., Edmonds, J., Collins, M.D., Alvarez, N. and John, P. (1999) An indigo-reducing moderate thermophile from a woad vat, Clostridium isatidis sp. nov. International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology 49 (3), pp. 1025-1031. ISSN: 0020-7713 doi: 10.1099/00207713-49-3-1025
Padden, A.N., Dillon, V.M., John, P. Edmonds, J., Collins, M.D., and Alvarez, N. (1998) Clostridium used in mediaeval dyeing. Nature, 396 (6708), p. 225. ISSN: 0028-0836 doi: 10.1038/24290
Kokubun, T., Edmonds, J and John, P. (1998) Indoxyl derivatives in woad (Isatis tinctoria) in relation to medieval indigo production. Phytochemistry, 49 (1), pp. 79-87. ISSN: 0031-9422 doi: 10.1016/S0031-9422(97)01069-8
Publications
- Ordidge, M. , Garcia-Macias, P. , Battey, N. , Gordon, M. , John, P. , Lovegrove, J. , Vysini, E. , Wagstaffe, A. , Hadley, P. (2012) Development of colour and firmness in strawberry crops is UV light sensitive, but colour is not a good predictor of several quality parameters. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture , 92 (8). pp. 1597-1604. ISSN: 0022-5142 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.4744
- Ordidge, M. , García-Macías, P. , Battey, N. , Gordon, M. , Hadley, P. , John, P. , Lovegrove, J. , Vysini, E. , Wagstaffe, A. (2010) Phenolic contents of lettuce, strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry crops cultivated under plastic films varying in ultraviolet transparency. Food Chemistry , 119 (3). pp. 1224-1227. ISSN: 0308-8146 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.08.039
- Vuorema, . , John, . , Keskitalo, . , Mahon, . , Kulandainathan, . , Marken, . (2009) Anthraquinone catalysis in the glucose-driven reduction of indigo to leuco-indigo. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics , 11 (11). pp. 1816-1824. ISSN: 1463-9076 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1039/b814149e
- John, . (2009) Conservation, legislation and production in the United Kingdom.. In: Lipman, E. , (eds.) Report of a working group on medicinal and aromatic plants. Biodiversity International , Rome. pp. 223-225. ISBN: 9789290438120
- John, . and Angelini, . (2009) Indigo - agricultural aspects. In: Bechtold, . and Mussak, . , (eds.) Handbook of Natural Colorants. John Wiley and Sons Ltd , Chichester. pp. 75-104. ISBN: 9780470511992 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9780470744970
- John, . (2009) Indigo - extraction. In: Bechtold, . and Mussak, . , (eds.) Handbook of Natural Colorants. John Wiley and Sons Ltd , Chichester. pp. 105-134.. ISBN: 9780470511992 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9780470744970
- Blackburn, . , Bechtold, . , John, . (2009) The development of indigo reduction methods and pre-reduced indigo products. Coloration Technology , 125 (4). pp. 193-207. ISSN: 1472-3581 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1478-4408.2009.00197.x
- Vuorema, . , John, . , Keskitalo, . , Kulandainathan, . , Marken, . (2008) Electrochemical and sonoelectrochemical monitoring of indigo reduction by glucose. Dyes and Pigments , 76 (2). pp. 542-549. ISSN: 0143-7208 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dyepig.2006.06.044
- Vuorema, . , John, . , Keskitalo, . , Marken, . (2008) Electrochemical determination of plant-derived leuco-indigo after chemical reduction by glucose. Journal of Applied Electrochemistry , 38 (12). pp. 1683-1690. ISSN: 0021-891X | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10800-008-9617-0
- John, . , Arghyros, . , Nicholson, . (2008) Indigo reducing bacteria from the medieval woad (Isatis tinctoria L.) vat: some aspects of their interaction with indigo. Dyes in History and Archaeology. , 21. pp. 45-50. ISBN: 9781904982074
- John, . (2008) The engineering of crop plants. Biological Sciences Review , 20 pp. 30-33.
- John, . (2008) Forty years on: Edelman and Jefford’s model of fructan metabolism. The Biochemist , 30 (2). pp. 31-33. ISSN: 0954-982X
- Garcia-Macias, . , Ordidge, . , Vysini, . , Waroonphan, . , Battey, . , Gordon, . , Hadley, . , John, . , Lovegrove, . , Wagstaffe, . (2007) Changes in the flavonoid and phenolic acid contents and antioxidant activity of red leaf lettuce (Lollo Rosso) due to cultivation under plastic films varying in ultraviolet transparency. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry , 55 (25). pp. 10168-10172. ISSN: 0021-8561 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jf071570m
- Garcia Macias, P. , Ordidge, M. , Vysini, E. , Waroonphan, S. , Battey, N. , Gordon, M. , Hadley, P. , John, P. , Lovegrove, J. , Wagstaffe, A. (2007) Changes in the flavonoid and phenolic acid contents and antioxidant activity of red leaf lettuce (Lollo Rosso) due to cultivation under plastic films varying in ultraviolet transparency. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry , 55 (25). pp. 10168-10172. ISSN: 0021-8561 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jf071570m
- Vuorema, . , John, . , Jenkins, . , Marken, . (2006) A rotating disc voltammetry study of the 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone mediated reduction of colloidal indigo. Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry , 10 (10). pp. 865-871. ISSN: 1432-8488 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10008-006-0149-4
- John, . (2006) Green revolution. Metabolic engineering of crop plants. The Biochemist , 28 (4). pp. 21-24. ISSN: 0954-982X
- John, . (2006) Indigo reduction in the woad vat: a medieval biotechnology revealed. Biologist , 53 pp. 31-35.
- Nicholson, . and John, . (2005) The mechanism of bacterial indigo reduction. Applied Microbial and Cell Physiology , 68 (1). pp. 117-123. ISSN: 0175-7598 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00253-004-1839-4
- Ghanem, . , Compton, . , Coles, . , Canals, . , Vuorema, . , John, . , Marken, . (2005) Microwave activation of the electro-oxidation of glucose in alkaline media. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics , 7 pp. 3552-3559. ISSN: 1463-9076 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1039/b509784c
- Angelini, . , John, . , Tozzi, . , Vandenburg, . (2005) Extraction of indigo from Isatis tinctoria L. and Polygonum tinctorium Ait. as a basis for large-scale production.
- Downie, . , Miyazaki, . , Bohnert, . , John, . , Coleman, . , Parry, . , Haslam, . (2004) Global expression profiling of the response of Arabidopsis thaliana to methanol stimulation. Phytochemistry , 65 pp. 2305-2316.
- Reynolds, . and John, . (2003) Evolutionary origin of the ethylene biosynthesis pathway in angiosperms. In: Poole, . and Helmsley, . , (eds.) Evolution of plant physiology. Vol. II: evolutionary physiology from whole plants to ecosystem. Academic Press pp. 121-132. ISBN: 9780123395528
- Lyall, . , Ellis, . , John, . , Hedley, . , Wang, . (2003) Seed quality development in wrinkled-seeded mutant peas (Pisum sativum L). In: Nicolas, . , Bradford, . , Come, . , Pritchard, . , (eds.) The Biology of Seeds: Recent Research Advances. CAB International pp. 41-49. ISBN: 9780851996530
- Lyall, . , Ellis, . , John, . , Hedley, . , Wang, . (2003) Mutant alleles at the rugosus loci in pea affect seed moisture sorption isotherms and the relations between seed longevity and moisture content. Journal of Experimental Botany , 54 (381). pp. 445-450. ISSN: 0022-0957
- Haslam, . , Downie, . , Raveton, . , Gallardo, . , Job, . , Pallett, . , John, . , Parry, . , Coleman, . (2003) The assessment of enriched apoplastic extracts using proteomic approaches. Annals of Applied Biology , 143 (1). pp. 81 - 91. ISSN: 0003-4746 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7348.2003.00081.x