Virginia Tsiouri
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
Investigation of quantum coherence in bacterial photosynthetic systemsPhotons are ubiquitous in nature and photosynthesis is one of the most vital processes of life. Elucidating the mechanism of light energy harvesting has been one of the most widely researched scientific areas with experimental data recently pointing to the hypothesis that quantum effects play an active role in explaining the extremely high efficiency of this process.
In this project the aim is to investigate the role of vibrational motions in coherent energy transfer of the light harvesting complexes of the photosynthetic, purple bacteria Rhodobacter sphaeroides. In order to test this aspect of photosynthesis, heavy isotopes will be incorporated into key atoms of the photosynthetic pigments using metabolic approaches and then purified and examined to detect any changes in their optical properties and the efficiency of photosynthesis.
Experimental detection of tunnelling via mutation
In my initial internship I did work on this project, inspired by the experiments that demonstrated the importance of proton tunnelling in enzyme catalysis, I looked at whether a similar kinetic isotope effect can alter the spontaneous mutation rate. Find out more about the project.
Supervisors
Photons are ubiquitous in nature and photosynthesis is one of the most vital processes of life. Elucidating the mechanism of light energy harvesting has been one of the most widely researched scientific areas with experimental data recently pointing to the hypothesis that quantum effects play an active role in explaining the extremely high efficiency of this process.
In this project the aim is to investigate the role of vibrational motions in coherent energy transfer of the light harvesting complexes of the photosynthetic, purple bacteria Rhodobacter sphaeroides. In order to test this aspect of photosynthesis, heavy isotopes will be incorporated into key atoms of the photosynthetic pigments using metabolic approaches and then purified and examined to detect any changes in their optical properties and the efficiency of photosynthesis.
Experimental detection of tunnelling via mutation
In my initial internship I did work on this project, inspired by the experiments that demonstrated the importance of proton tunnelling in enzyme catalysis, I looked at whether a similar kinetic isotope effect can alter the spontaneous mutation rate. Find out more about the project.