Faculty

Dr. Chavdar Slavov

Assistant Professor

Contact

Office: IDRB 202K
Phone: 813 974 4663
Email: chslavov@usf.edu 

Education

BSc & MSc, Sofia University, Sofia, Bulgaria

PhD, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany and Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Mülheim/Ruhr, Germany

Research

Photochemistry, Biophysics and Ultrafast spectroscopy
Photochemical reactions power some of the most important biological processes (e.g. photosynthesis, photoreception, etc.). Furthermore, they have increasing importance in improving our quality of life (e.g. health care, ‘green’ energy and chemistry, etc.). My research is focused on the studying the molecular mechanisms of photoinduced processes such as light-triggered molecular transformation, photoreception, photoprotection and light harvesting. These processes commence on the ultrafast timescale, and often proceed via a series of slower intermediate steps. Therefore, to study the associated reaction dynamics I employ a range of time-resolved optical spectroscopy techniques (UV/vis/IR transient absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies). To disentangle the complex kinetics of the studied reactions and processes, I have developed a program for time-resolved data analysis (OPTIMUS). Ultimately, my aim is to develop a comprehensive understanding of how molecular systems transform light energy into function and, based on this knowledge, to derive design principles for optimized photoactive constructs for application in bio- and nanotechnology.