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Jan Florian Kern

Chemist Staff Scientist

Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging

  • Bioenergetics

Building: 33, Room 339P
Mail Stop: 33R0345
Phone: (510) 486-4330
JFKern@lbl.gov
http://www2.lbl.gov/vkyachan/index.html

Research Interests

My research is focused on elucidating the structure and function of metalloenzymes using a combination of X-ray methods. The main emphasis is on understanding the mechanism of light-driven water oxidation in Photosystem II, a large membrane protein present in all organisms that conduct oxygenic photosynthesis. For this purpose, we use very intense femtosecond X-ray pulses as delivered by the X-ray free electron laser, Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), at Stanford. This technique allows us to record X-ray diffraction and X-ray spectroscopic data from the enzyme under working (physiological) conditions and provide information about the geometric and electronic structure of the catalytic site (a Mn4CaO5 cluster) of the enzyme during the water oxidation reaction. Also, we are working on generalizing these approaches to other metalloenzymes to study reaction intermediates not accessible with conventional X-ray methods.

Selected Publications

ResearchGate Profile

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Sauer Leaves Legacy in Science and Teaching

June 1, 2023

As a young man, Kenneth Sauer joined Berkeley Lab four years after arriving in Berkeley for his postdoctoral position with famed chemist Melvin Calvin. By that time, he had accepted an assistant professorship in UC Berkeley’s Department of Chemistry to continue what would be his life’s scientific work on the intricate physical process of photosynthesis. He remained active for over 50 years and was, most recently, a professor emeritus of chemistry at UC Berkeley. Sauer died at the age of 91 following a brief illness on November 6, 2022.

Researchers Capture Elusive Missing Step in Photosynthesis

May 5, 2023

After decades of effort, scientists have revealed atomic-scale details of the water splitting step of photosynthesis, the chemical process that generates the air we breathe. The latest work adds to our understanding of photosynthesis and will aid the development of fully renewable alternative energy sources.

Chloro-phylling in the Answers to Big Questions

December 1, 2021

A team of scientists, including many in the Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, uncovered new details about the reaction that powers photosynthesis. Understanding this reaction could lead to world-changing advances in technology, medicine, or energy––and also gives insight into how the enzyme photosystem II produces the oxygen we breathe. Their latest work was recently published in Nature Communications and two of the authors, Vittal Yachandra and Philipp Simon, spoke with Strategic Communications about that, shooting stuff with lasers, and why they chose this field of research.

For more Jan Florian Kern news items »

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