Beck Research Group
We investigate photophysical and photochemical processes in photosynthetic light-harvesting proteins and nanomaterials. Our current focus in the light harvesting area is on carotenoid-containing proteins, including the peridinin–chlorophyll a protein from dinoflagellates and the orange carotenoid protein (OCP) from cyanobacteria. We have recently begun a new initiative to apply broadband two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2DES) to study the dynamics of excitation energy transfer in intact phycobilisomes, which will allow us to understand better how intrinsic and OCP-dependent photoprotection mechanisms work. In a new project on nanomaterials, we are using 2DES to study quantum coherent exciton relaxation processes in CdSe quantum dots.