Matyushov Lab | Arizona State University, Center for Biological Physics, Department of Physics and School of Molecular Sciences

Electron transfer

Electron transfer is the elementary process of under-barrier electron tunneling between two states of electron localization at the donor and acceptor molecules. This reaction is the basis of nearly all redox chemistry and is a fundamental step in the cross-membrane charge transport in biology. Formal theories are developed and large-scale computer simulations are performed to construct predictive theories describing the activation barrier of this reaction.
Energy production in biology

Simple physical mechanisms are behind the flow of energy in all forms of life. Energy comes to living systems through electrons occupying high-energy states, either from food (respiratory chains) or from light (photosynthesis). Life's ability to transfer electrons over large distances with nearly zero loss of free energy is puzzling and has not been accomplished in synthetic systems. We study how this energetic efficiency is realized.
Electrostatics of interfaces, solvation, and spectroscopy

Electrostatics of interfaces is fundamentally different from electrostatics of bulk dielectrics. It affects solvation and interaction of charged and polar molecules, producing a broad interfacial region with unique structure. We develop formal theories of interfacial polarization and test them by computer simulations and spectroscopy.