Molecular Mechanisms of Retinal Protein Action: Coordination Project

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Research in the field of retinal protein action is wide and interdisciplinary. While the last decade has witnessed a number of experimental break-throughs the theoretical treatment of these systems is still in its infancy due to the fact that adequate algorithms have had to be developed and tested. Moreover, modeling complex systems like retinal proteins needs accurate crystal structures which have not been available for a long time. It is therefore only now that a comprehensive theoretical analysis of the biophysics underlying retinal protein action can be attempted. With the different processes and their specific time scales in mind we have identified major research areas which form the basic concept of the Forschergruppe. More topics and the input from experimental groups are provided by external cooperations. In the next section we comment on the specific modeling requirements of the project; the remaining sections will provide an overview of the methodological aspects of the topics to be covered.