• Question: Your profile does not explain what you do in detail, please could you elaborate on what you specialise in the octical spectroscopy.

    Asked by SilentSwiftwave to Andrew on 10 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Andrew McKinley

      Andrew McKinley answered on 10 Nov 2014:

      My specialty is in the optical spectroscopy of DNA and things that bind (stick) to DNA. I use visible light – so this means things that I work with have colour. Colour comes from electrons moving about, so this means that what I am interested in is using light to move electrons around in these DNA binders. I look at how DNA can then carry these electrons, and effectively behave as a molecular wire.
      Effecively, I use “UV/Vis” spectroscopy (light being ‘absorbed’, what gives things colour) to look at how the electron “takes off” down the DNA helix, and then I use “Fluorescence specroscopy” (light being “emitted” – what happens in your hi-lighter pens and hi-vis jackets) to see what happens as the electron “lands” in its destination.

      Hope that helps?

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