Dr. McGinn studied Chemistry at Heriot-Watt University and followed this with a PhD in Solid Phase peptide Synthesis with Prof. Epton at Wolverhampton University, one of only four peptide synthesis research groups in the UK in 1980. He then moved to The Wellcome Research Foundation in Beckenham to establish the solid phase peptide synthesis facility in Medicinal Chemistry, initially working with Dr. Fred Brown's Virogy group working on synthetic vaccines for foot and mouth disease. Dr. McGinn returned to Scotland to set up the peptide synthesis facility for BioMac, Glasgow University spin-out company with Prof. John Coggins before establishing Thistle Research in 1994.

Thistle Research was founded in 1994 by Dr. Brian McGinn and initially centred on The West of Scotland Science Park. The company's expertise is on all things related to peptide synthesis and produces simple peptides for clients or can get involved with research design and collaboration. Innovative products developed by Dr. McGinn include novel sythesis methodologies, antigen/T-Cell stimulator hybrids for immunisation and S-PAC 90 peptide affinity column matrix for antibody or receptor purification.