Solar Fuels Umeå

The project goal

The Strong Research Environment Solar Fuels at Umeå University concentrates on interdisciplinary basic research that covers all aspects of the conversion of solar energy into fuels. This project overlaps with the Artificial Leaf Project Umeå, and therefore consists only a few biological projects.

Live cells of the cryptophyte alga Guillardia theta (phase contrast microscopy).
Live cells of the cryptophyte alga Guillardia theta (phase contrast microscopy).

The on-going biological sub-projects

  • Light harvesting and light protection in the cryptophyte alga Guillardia theta Goals: Identification of light-harvesting genes expressed under various light regimes, and understanding of the special light protection mechanisms in this algae. PIs: Wolfgang Schröder and Christiane Funk Co-worker: Otilia Cheregi and Lorenza Ferro
  • Modelling of the regulatory network controlling the expression of genes encoding the components of the photosynthetic machinery Goals: The aim of the project is to study the kinetics of chloroplast development and to identify the components in anterograde and retrograde signaling that control the developmental process. PIs: Andreas Grönlund and Åsa Strand
  • Proton transport and protein dynamics during water-splitting in photosystem II Goals: Demonstration if and how the extrinsic psbO protein of photosystem II participates in the proton release during water-splitting, and studying if this protein is undergoing structural changes during the catalytic cycle. PIs: Göran Samuelsson and Elisabeth Sauer-Eriksson Co-workers: Suman Paul and Carolina Arias Gomez
  • Mechanism of water-oxidation by photosystem II Goals: Elucidation of the mechanism of water oxidation in photosystem II via structural and mechanistic studies. Our techniques include time-resolved membrane-inlet mass spectrometry, EPR/NMR, and X-ray spectroscopy. PI: Johannes Messinger Co-workers: Casper De Lichtenberg, Dmitriy Shevela, and Long Vo Pham