Cryptophytes are single-celled algae thriving in low-light aquatic environments by using highly efficient light-harvesting antennae which expand the absorption area and spectral range for incoming photons. Upon photon absorption, an exciton is generated and efficiently transferred from the antenna to the photosystem. Spectroscopic evidence (quantum beats) reveals the involvement of quantum coherence in this transfer process.
The goal of this project is to determine the role of quantum coherence in the light harvesting systems of cryptophytes by employing a combination of experimental and computational methods. Specifically, we are investigating the quantum mechanical nature of the linking protein that connects the antenna proteins with the photosystem and the ultrastructure of the antenna within intact cryptophyte cells by using state-of-the-art in situ cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Afterwards, the structural insights serve as the basis for molecular dynamics (MD) and QM/MM simulations to model exciton transfer pathways and test the persistence of quantum coherence under physiological conditions.
By integrating cryo-EM and computational quantum biology, this work aims to reveal how structural organization enables efficient, coherent energy transfer — uncovering design principles that could inspire bio-inspired quantum technologies and next-generation light-harvesting systems.