Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
The Oliver group uses an arsenal of experimental techniques, including multidimensional ultrafast laser spectroscopies with high temporal and spectral resolution, to investigate ultrafast molecular relaxation dynamics, energy and charge transfer in a range of chemicals, biomolecules, de novo proteins and natural photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes with a range of collabators. As well as using established experimental techniques, we also actively develop novel ultrafast experiments. Full details of our activities can be found at the group website www.oliverresearchgroup.com and are summarised below:
Ultrafast dynamics of photoactive proteins
Photosynthetic and photoactive proteins are essential to all life on Earth, playing pivotal roles in the primary steps of light harvesting of plants, to the first event in vision. Our interests include the study of natural photoactive proteins, bio-nanohybrid systems combining photosynthetic proteins with nanomaterials, and specially designed (de novo) proteins. Using an array of time-resolved experiments, we are able to determine the photobiological dynamics including timescales for electron and electronic energy transfer, and the role of the protein in mediating these events.
Coherent nuclear dynamics
With the short pulses available in our laboratories (<10 fs), we are able to drive and monitor a range of different coherent dynamics within molecules, polymers and proteins. These include vibrational wavepacket dynamics, that allow us to gain insight into how the electronic structure on the excited state evolves, and the nuclear motions that drive coupling of different electronic states at conical intersections.
Influence of environment on photochemical reactions
Molecules in solution rotate, collide and inter-change energy with their surroundings on picosecond or shorter timescales. The magnitude and timescale of these interactions that alter and determine the excited state photochemical/physical dynamics.
Nanomaterials and their enhancement of photosynthesis
Carbon nanodots (CDs) are non-toxic nanomaterials with appreciable fluorescent quantum yields making them ideal for biosensing. Further, they can be synthesised using a 3 minute microwave assisted synthesis from cheap starting materials. Uptake of specially functionalised CDs by plants and algae can lead to increased photosynthetic quantum yields and enhanced biomass yields.
Keywords
- Excited states
- Photochemistry
- Photobiology
- Proteins
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Exploring proton transfer and conduction at biological interfaces using ultrafast spectroscopy
1/03/21 → 28/02/23
Project: Research
Research output
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An expandable, modular de novo protein platform for precision redox engineering
Hutchins, G. H., Noble, C. E. M., Bunzel, H. A., Williams, C., Dubiel, P., Yadav, S. K. N., Molinaro, P. M., Barringer, R., Blackburn, H., Hardy, B. J., Parnell, A. E., Landau, C., Race, P. R., Oliver, T. A. A., Koder, R. L., Crump, M. P., Schaffitzel, C., Oliveira, A. S. F., Mulholland, A. J. & Anderson, J. L. R., 24 Jul 2023, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 120, 31, e2306046120.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review
Open Access1 Citation (Scopus) -
Multicolor Photoluminescent Carbon Dots à La Carte for Biomedical Applications
Garcia-Millan, T., Ramos-Soriano, J., Ghirardello, M., Liu, X., Santi, C. M., Eloi, J-C., Pridmore, N., Harniman, R. L., Morgan, D. J., Hughes, S., Davis, S. A., Oliver, T. A. A., Kurian, K. M. & Galan, M. C., 27 Sept 2023, In: ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. 15, 38, p. 44711-44721 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review
Open Access -
The solvent-dependent photophysics of diphenyloctatetraene
Polak, D. W., Hannon, A., Marczak Giorio, G., Hawkins, O. A. & Oliver, T. A. A., 28 Sept 2023, In: Journal of Physical Chemistry B. 127, 38, p. 8199–8207 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review
Open Access
Datasets
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The Solvent Dependent Photophysics of Diphenyloctatetraene J Phys Chem B 2023
Oliver, T. (Creator), Polak, D. (Creator), Hawkins, O. (Creator) & Hannon, A. (Creator), University of Bristol, 31 Aug 2023
DOI: 10.5523/bris.1qq9ffnrwc5gl2jc27ip9jog75, http://data.bris.ac.uk/data/dataset/1qq9ffnrwc5gl2jc27ip9jog75
Dataset
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TDPP PCCP 2022
Oliver, T. (Creator), Polak, D. (Creator) & Ashfold, M. N. R. (Creator), University of Bristol, 9 Aug 2022
DOI: 10.5523/bris.280mpmf2l7ihj2jl1x2k9qwdw0, http://data.bris.ac.uk/data/dataset/280mpmf2l7ihj2jl1x2k9qwdw0
Dataset
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High Efficiency Excitation Energy Transfer in Biohybrid Quantum Dot–Bacterial Reaction Center Nanoconjugates
Oliver, T. (Creator), Amoruso, G. (Creator) & Polak, D. (Creator), University of Bristol, 27 May 2021
DOI: 10.5523/bris.3hqsgdntr1g842l47xrke8duj0, http://data.bris.ac.uk/data/dataset/3hqsgdntr1g842l47xrke8duj0
Dataset
Prizes
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ACS Physical Chemistry Division Postdoctoral Award
Oliver, Tom (Recipient), 2014
Prize: Prizes, Medals, Awards and Grants
Activities
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Ultrafast Photochemistry Session of ICP2019
Tom Oliver (Chair)
21 Jul 2019 → 26 Jul 2019Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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Stephen E. Bradforth
Tom Oliver (Host)
3 Sept 2018 → 21 Sept 2018Activity: Hosting a visitor types › Hosting an academic visitor
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Celebration of Bristol Chemistry V
Tom Oliver (Chair)
3 Jul 2018Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference