研究微生物（酶）及其在生物燃料、医药、功能食品、饲料、环境等方面的基础应用性工作，重点包括（1）工业酶与药用蛋白高效表达系统的构建及蛋白制备；（2）建立酶的新型生物催化与转化过程，体外制备高附加值绿色化学品；（3）运用基因工程、代谢工程、合成生物学等技术，构建微生物细胞工厂，体内生物合成大宗/精细绿色化学品。

先后主持国家自然科学基金面上项目、国家863项目（海洋生物功能蛋白高效发掘与产品开发）子课题（课题副组长）、青岛市留学人员科技与创业资助项目、青岛市应用基础研究计划项目等项目，并参与多项国家863项目。以第一作者或通讯作者身份在Critical Reviews in Biotechnology，Biotechnology for Biofuels，Bioresource Technology等主流SCI期刊上发表论文12篇。授权1件国际PCT专利，申请3件国家发明专利。作为编委参与编写书籍《生物技术在海洋生物资源开发中的应用》（负责“基因表达技术”章节的编写）。受Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis, Process Biochemistry, Biochemical Engineering Journal，Journal of Hazardous Materials，Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology，Journal of Molecular Catalysis B-Enzymatic，Journal of Basic Microbiology，Fuel，Acta Biochimica et Biophysica Sinica 等SCI期刊邀请作为审稿人。

1. Jinyong Yan*, Yunjun Yan, Catherine Madzak, Bingnan Han. Harnessing the biodiesel producing microbes: from genetic engineering of lipase to metabolic engineering of fatty acid biosynthetic pathway. Critical Reviews in Biotechnology, DOI:10.3109/07388551.2015.1104531
           2. Jinyong Yan*, Yi Liu, Cong Wang, Bingnan Han, Shengying Li*. Assembly of lipase and P450 fatty acid decarboxylase to constitute a novel biosynthetic pathway for production of 1-alkene from renewable triglycerides and oils. Biotechnology for Biofuels, 2015, 8, 34-43
           3. Jinyong Yan*, Lei Du, Xianliang Zheng, Shengying Li*. Integrated lipase production and in situ biodiesel synthesis in a recombinant Pichia pastoris yeast: an efficient dual biocatalytic system composed of cell free enzymes and whole cell catalysts. Biotechnology for Biofuels, 2014, 7: 55-62
           4. Jinyong Yan*, Xianliang Zheng, Shengying Li*. A novel and robust recombinant Pichia pastoris yeast whole cell biocatalyst with intracellular overexpression of a Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase: Preparation, characterization and application in biodiesel production. Bioresource Technology, 2014, 151: 43-48
           5. Jinyong Yan, Aitao Li, Yi Xu, Thao P. N. Ngo, Szechao Phua, Zhi Li*. Efficient production of biodiesel from waste grease: One-pot esterification and transesterification with tandem lipases. Bioresource Technology, 2012, 123: 332-337
           6. Jinyong Yan*, Yunjun Yan*, Sanxiong Liu, Jiang Hu, Guilong Wang．Preparation of cross-linked protein-coated micro-crystals for biodiesel production from waste cooking oil. Bioresource Technology, 2011,102: 4755-4758
           7. Jinyong Yan*, Sanxiong Liu, Jiang Hu, Guilong Wang, Yunjun Yan*. Enzymatic enrichment of polyunsaturated fatty acids using novel lipase preparations modified by combination of immobilization and fish oil treatment. Bioresource Technology, 2011, 102: 7154-7158