Events

Optimization of Energy Transfer Processes in Photosynthetic Systems

December 7, 2010 at 3pm/36-428

Jianshu Cao
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

abstract:
Excitation energy transfer (EET) in photosynthetic systems can be highly efficient and robust. In this talk, I will discuss the optimization of both natural and artificial systems:

• A simple scaling theory is used to examine the interplay of quantum coherence, dynamic noise, and static disorder in efficient energy transfer.
• The symmetry and network connectivity reveal useful insights into the optimal structure of photosynthetic systems.
• Distributionsof fluorescentchromophores on a self-assemblingmolecular architecture can be optimized to achieve the maximal antenna effect.

 *The reported work is a collaboration with J. Wu, J. Kim, and R. Silbey

bio:
Jianshu Cao is an associate professor of chemistry at MIT. He received a Ph.D. in physics from Columbia University in 1993. After postdoctoral research at the University of Pennsylvania and at UCSD, he joined the MIT faculty in 1998. His research interests include quantum dynamics of molecular systems, stochastic analysis of single molecule measurements, self-assembly of colloids and polymers, and mechanical properties of cells and bio-molecules.