UTMESA+MESA+ InstituteNewsTOP-Grant for research on extremely efficient energy transport in photosynthesis

TOP-Grant for research on extremely efficient energy transport in photosynthesis

A consortium that aims to unravel the mechanisms behind the extremely efficient energy transport in photosynthesis has been awarded a TOP grant by NWO Chemical Sciences. The consortium consists of Huub de Groot (Leiden University), Annemarie Huijser (University of Twente) and Thomas Jansen (University of Groningen). The TOP grant provides a budget of 780.000 Euros to the researchers.

The project is titled ‘The molecular mechanism of long-range exciton transfer in chiral self-assembled supramolecular matrices’. Through a combination of spectroscopic techniques and theoretical modelling, the role of molecular rotational movements and quantum instabilities in asymmetric molecular self-assemblies will be investigated. The aim is to develop fundamental insight in the role of vibronic coupling, a topic that is currently under intense debate in the Physical Chemistry community. From this, the researchers want to derive general principles for responsive matrices for energy conversion and photocatalysis.

At the University of Twente, a PhD position in the PhotoCatalytic Synthesis group will be created for this project. For more information, see the NWO Press Release or contact dr. ir. Annemarie Huijser.

C.A. van der Kuil (Corjan)
Communication advisor sustainability, energy & environment