Ultrafast Structural Dynamics of Molecular and Biomolecular Systems
- PC Department Seminar
- Date: May 22, 2023
- Time: 11:00 AM (Local Time Germany)
- Speaker: Henrike Müller-Werkmeister
- Uni Potsdam
- Location: Building G
- Room: 2.06
- Host: Alexander Paarmann
Observing molecular dynamics experimentally with both, highest spatial and temporal resolution is one of the biggest challenges in chemistry and biochemistry. Understanding and resolving structure-dynamics relationships will help to further understand molecular function. Few experimental methods allow to resolve multi-scale dynamics and structural information in the same experiment.
2D-IR spectroscopy can be performed as table-top experiment in solution state. Inhomogeneities of molecular ensembles are accessible and can be resolved by 2D-IR. Current research in our group targets photocatalysis, photochemistry and solvation dynamics in biomolecular systems.
While 2D-IR is an extremely powerful method to investigate biomolecules in solution, it doesn’t provide full atomic resolution. Ultrafast Electron diffraction and time-resolved X-ray diffraction at XFELs and synchrotrons in contrast can access structural dynamics with atomic resolution. I will highlight results from recent ultrafast electron diffraction experiments on Fe(II)-Spincrossover experiments and time-resolved serial crystallography of an enzymatic reaction.