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                       BIOINFORMATICS COLLOQUIUM
                    School of Computational Sciences
                        George Mason University
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            Theoretical Studies of Light Harvesting Proteins
                        Ana Damjanovic, Ph.D.
                      Johns Hopkins University

                       Tuesday, March 16, 2004
                               4:30 pm
                PW2 Auditorium, Prince William Campus

Photosynthetic organisms utilize sunlight to drive their cellular
reactions. Through natural selection, the light harvesting apparatii of
various life forms were optimized for high efficiency in particular
habitats. For several organisms, x-ray crystallography has revealed the
arrangement of photo-active molecules, chlorophylls and carotenoids in
light-harvesting proteins. Through structure based molecular dynamics
and quantum calculations we reveal the design principles underlying
efficient absorption and energy transfer, and how these molecules cope
with physiological temperatures, where thermal disorder is
significant. Thus, the natural photo cell, as engineered and optimized
by evolution, provides clues invaluable for design of efficient
artificial nano-scale light harvesting antennae and photo cells.

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Refreshments are served at 4:00 pm.  Find the schedule and directions at
http://www.binf.gmu.edu/colloq.html