Ions in the Fire: Laser Spectroscopy of Cryogenically Cooled Molecular Ions

该项目将结合先进的激光和质谱学技术，探测低温冷却生物分子的结构和功能，这些分子是视觉、光合作用和蛋白质标记的核心操作单元。从该项目中获得的知识将用于校准描述和预测分子功能的现代计算方法。预计该项目将为理解和优化生命所依赖的生物系统以及开发新的光激活分子设备提供基础，包括分子马达、开关和能量收集系统。

This project will combine sophisticated laser and mass spectrometric techniques to probe the structure and function of cryogenically cooled biological molecules that are the core operational units for vision, photosynthesis and protein labelling. Knowledge gained from the project will be used to calibrate modern computational approaches to describing and predicting molecular function. It is expected that the project will provide foundations for understanding and optimising the biological systems upon which life depends, and for developing new light-activated molecular devices including molecular motors, switches and energy harvesting systems.