We are working as a team of physicists, chemists, and biologists. The spectrum of employed methods ranges from experimental biophysics, physical and theoretical chemistry to biochemistry and physiology. An important educational aim is to allow insights into specific methods and concepts of each discipline to every student working.

The following methods are employed:

• X-ray spectroscopy with synchrotron radiation to elucidate atomic and electronic structure
  (XANES and EXAFS, RIXS, linear-dichroism measurements, time-resolved experiments; performed at the BESSY in Berlin, at the ESRF in Grenoble, and elsewhere)

• Various optical spectroscopies to track biological processes and catalytic reactions
  (UV and visible light, chlorophyll fluorescence, delayed recombination fluorescence, infrared spectroscopy - FTIR // all this typically in time-resolved experiments after  ns-Laser-flash excitation)

• Photoacoustic and photothermal spectroscopy
  (time-resolved calorimetry, time-resolved detection of changes in the protein volume)

• Advanced electrochemistry combined with spectroscopy (spectro-electrochemistry)

• Total-reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) for elementary analysis

• Protein purification and biochemical characterization of photosynthetic membrane proteins, molecular biology

• Electrodeposition of catalysts for water oxidation and hydrogen formation

• Electron microscopy and mass spectroscopy with our collaborators

• Molecular modeling and analysis of complex reaction kinetics

• Development of theoretical approaches and software for evaluation of X-ray absorption data

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