Dr Alejandro Sanchez-Pedreno Jimenez
Academic and research departments
Leverhulme Quantum Biology Doctoral Training Centre (QB-DTC), School of Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences.About
My research project
Room Temperature Coherent Interactions Between Fluorescent ProteinsQuantum mechanics has revolutionised our understanding of nature on how it works at the atomic and subatomic levels. Progress in quantum mechanics enabled us to develop practical electronic devices and opened a new field of studies amongst quantum information science and quantum computing. However, the extreme operating conditions such as cryogenic temperatures and vacuum environments required to exhibit quantum mechanical phenomena limit the large-scale applications. Similarly, the discovery of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) isolated from jellyfish Aequorea victoria initiated a revolution in the field of modern cell biology in which fluorescent protein has become a powerful and omnipresent tool for protein tagging and live-cell imaging. Fluorescent protein isolation from other organisms combined with mutagenic studies gave rise to diversify variants of fluorescent proteins. Yet, intrinsic photophysical properties have not been fully understood. Advancement of optical methodologies applied to the study of biological systems have allowed us to explore non-trivial quantum effects in biological processes.
This project aims to uncover the biophysical principles/mechanisms that enable to exhibit room temperature coherent molecular interactions between fluorescent proteins. Mutagenic studies will be applied to alter the structural integrity of fluorescent protein so that the mutants will be characterised using ultrafast optical spectroscopy.
Supervisors
Quantum mechanics has revolutionised our understanding of nature on how it works at the atomic and subatomic levels. Progress in quantum mechanics enabled us to develop practical electronic devices and opened a new field of studies amongst quantum information science and quantum computing. However, the extreme operating conditions such as cryogenic temperatures and vacuum environments required to exhibit quantum mechanical phenomena limit the large-scale applications. Similarly, the discovery of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) isolated from jellyfish Aequorea victoria initiated a revolution in the field of modern cell biology in which fluorescent protein has become a powerful and omnipresent tool for protein tagging and live-cell imaging. Fluorescent protein isolation from other organisms combined with mutagenic studies gave rise to diversify variants of fluorescent proteins. Yet, intrinsic photophysical properties have not been fully understood. Advancement of optical methodologies applied to the study of biological systems have allowed us to explore non-trivial quantum effects in biological processes.
This project aims to uncover the biophysical principles/mechanisms that enable to exhibit room temperature coherent molecular interactions between fluorescent proteins. Mutagenic studies will be applied to alter the structural integrity of fluorescent protein so that the mutants will be characterised using ultrafast optical spectroscopy.
University roles and responsibilities
- Quantum Biology FHMS PGR Course Rep
Crystal X-ray ribbon structure of Green fluorescent protein (GFP). In pale green, antiparallel β-sheets, in pink parallel β-sheets, the 11 β-sheets form the β -barrel. In red, α-helixes and within the barrel, in Bright Green, the Chromophore.