Dr P O'Malley, Prof Sam Hay, Prof M W Anderson
No more applications being accepted
Competition Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
The project is within the bioenergy area with the aim of mimicking the ability of green plants to use solar energy to produce high energy fuels. Using a combination of spectroscopy and molecular modelling we will investigate the mechanism of one of nature’s most fundamental reactions i.e. photosynthetic electron transfer providing unique skills training in mathematical and computational modelling, biological spectroscopy and synthesis of biological mimics. Collaboration will take place between the USA based research groups of Profs Taguchi and Dikanov thereby fostering international collaboration.
One of the recognised “Holy Grails” of biology is the detailed mechanism of water oxidation to molecular oxygen in photosynthesis. Recent progress in crystallographic structure determination, spectroscopy and computational chemistry have now put the detailed mechanism within reach. This project will play a key role in this by combining Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy results with broken symmetry density functional theory (BS-DFT) calculations to study the final stages in the water oxidation cycle and examine the details of how Nature’s water oxidising catalyst (a CaMn4O5/6 complex) deprotonates and oxidises the oxygens of two water molecules and combines them to produce molecular oxygen at room temperature. In addition a close Cobalt-based mimic of the natural system will be investigated.
Contact for further information:
[Email Address Removed]
Entry Requirements:
Applications are invited from UK/EU nationals only. Applicants must have obtained, or be about to obtain, at least an upper second class honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject.
Funding Notes
This project is to be funded under the BBSRC Doctoral Training Programme. If you are interested in this project, please make direct contact with the Principal Supervisor to arrange to discuss the project further as soon as possible. You MUST also submit an online application form - full details on how to apply can be found on the BBSRC DTP website www.manchester.ac.uk/bbsrcdtpstudentships
As an equal opportunities institution we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.
References
(1) Mayaan et al, Nature Catalysis (2018), 1, 48-54. (2) Nathan J Beal and Patrick J O’Malley, J. Amer. Chem. Soc., (2016), 138, 4358-4361. (3) Taguchi, Alexander T.; O'Malley, Patrick J.; Wraight, Colin A. J Phys Chem B, (2015), 119, 5805-5814. (4) Yi, Sophia M.; Taguchi, Alexander T.; Samoilova, Rimma I.; O’Malley Patrick J. Biochemistry, (2017), 54, 5030-5044.
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