John W. Frost is Professor of Chemistry and Director of the Center for Plant Products and Technologies at Michigan State University. He earned his B.S. in Chemistry from Purdue University and his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University.

Professor Frost's research group genetically engineers microbes for use as synthetic catalysts and interfaces these biocatalysts with traditional chemical catalysis. Recent research focuses on elaboration of microbe-catalyzed syntheses of starting materials critical to the manufacture of pharmaceuticals as a replacement for the current isolation of these starting materials from exotic natural sources. Hoffmann La Roche has licensed a microbe developed by the Frost group for synthesis of shikimic acid, the starting material used for manufacture of the antiinfluenza drug sold under the trade name Tamiflu.

The Frost group is internationally recognized for its research in the field of green chemistry, where group research is directed toward creation of sustainable, environmentally benign syntheses of a variety of chemicals. These syntheses are catalyzed by genetically engineered microbes and utilize nontoxic starting materials such as glucose derived from renewable feedstocks such as starch or cellulose. In contrast, current chemical manufacture is dominated by the use of toxic starting materials such as benzene, which is derived from petroleum, a nonrenewable feedstock. For their research efforts in this area, Professor Frost and his collaborator and wife, Dr. Karen M. Draths, were awarded the Presidential Green Challenge.

Professor Frost has served in various capacities including consultant and scientific advisory board member for numerous corporations including Genencor International, Viridis, Archer-Daniels-Midland, Cargill, Givaudan, Dow Chemical, and Codexis.