Jeffrey W. Keillor obtained his PhD in 1993 at the University of Alberta, studying physical organic enzyme models under the supervision of Prof. R.S. Brown.  He then carried out postdoctoral studies in enzymology, under the direction of Prof. W.P. Jencks at Brandeis University.  In 1995 he took a position as assistant professor in the Chemistry Department at the Université de Montréal, where he was promoted to associate professor in 2000 and full professor in 2006.  He was also appointed as an adjunct professor in the biochemistry department in 2001.  In 2011 he moved to the Chemistry Department of the University of Ottawa, where he holds a University Research Chair in Bioorganic Chemistry.

Prof. Keillor has served on the editorial advisory board of the Canadian Journal of Chemistry and the organic/inorganic chemistry grant selection committee of NSERC, which he chaired in 2008.  Among the awards he has received is the 2007 Merck-Frosst Award for contributions to organic chemistry and biochemistry.