Keyes specialises in photochemistry and molecular spectroscopy. Among her interests are molecular spectroscopy, supramolecular and interfacial chemistry, photophysics and applications in biology such as cell imaging and sensing, and membrane mimetics.
Keyes completed her PhD in 1994, titled The Synthesis, electrochemical, spectroscopic, and photophysica characterisation of ruthenium (II) polypridyl complexes containing quinone/hydroquinone moieties, supervised by Johannes G. Vos. She studied at Dublin City University.[http://doras.dcu.ie/18936/]
In 2020, Keyes contributed research to Dublin City University's COVID-19 Research and Innovation Hub. Her project models cell membranes including the ACE2 receptor. This could be used to model the initial viral-host recognition step and may identify other components of the cell membrane that create infection. The aim is to build a platform to test therapeutics to inhibit SARS-CoV-2-ACE2 binding.