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.