A major thrust of my research focuses on the development and application of novel, ultrafast laser spectroscopy techniques to observe the interplay of structure and dynamics in biologically relevant systems. Femtosecond (10-15 s) laser pulses will be employed to explore new linear and nonlinear infrared spectroscopic properties of molecular systems. Initiation methods, such as optical triggering, in conjunction with two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) spectroscopy will be used to acquire atomic level structural information to generate snapshots of the structural evolution in various biophysical events. Such research provides an atomistic window into drug action, protein motion and folding events, the dynamical behavior of membrane proteins, or the fast folding of RNAs, all pivotal to combat prevalent diseases and to guide drug discovery.
