Application of time-resolved mass and velocity map ion imaging spectroscopies in the gas phase and transient absorption spectroscopy in the solution phase towards understanding the photoprotection mechanisms occurring in biologically important molecules such as the DNA bases. Developing new experimental techniques to identify these mechanisms based on femtosecond lasers, molecular beam and transient absorption methodologies.

Investigating the photochemistry of sunscreen filter ethyl ferulate: lessons learned from gas-phase spectroscopy, N. das Neves Rodriguez, M. Staniforth, J.D. Young, Y. Peperstraete, N.C. Cole-Filipiak, J.R. Gord, P. S. Walsh, D.M. Hewett, T.S. Zwier and V.G. Stavros, Faraday Discuss., 2016, DOI: 10.1039/C6FD00079G Combatting AMR: Photoactivatable ruthenium (II) isoniazid complex exhibits rapid selective antimycobacterial activity, N.A. Smith, P. Zhang, S.E. Greenough, M.D. Horbury, G. Clarkson, D. McFeely, A. Habtemariam, L. Salassa, V.G. Stavros, C.G. Dowson and P.J. Sadler, Chem. Sci., 2016, DOI: 10.1039/c6sc03028a Gas-Phase Femtosecond Particle Spectroscopy: A Bottom-Up Approach to Nucleotide Dynamics, V.G. Stavros and J.R.R. Verlet. Ann. Rev. Phys. Chem., 2016, 67, 211 Photodynamics of potent antioxidants: ferulic and caffeic acids, M.D. Horbury, L.A. Baker, W.D. Quan, S.E. Greenough and V.G. Stavros. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2016, 18, 17691 Ultrafast photoprotective properties of the sunscreening agent octocrylene, L.A. Baker, M.D. Horbury and V.G. Stavros. Opt. Exp. 2016, 24, 10700 Excited state dynamics of a two-photon-activatable ruthenium prodrug, S.E. Greenough, M.D. Horbury, N.A. Smith, P.J. Sadler, M.J. Paterson and V.G. Stavros. ChemPhysChem. 2016, 17, 221 Ultrafast Photoprotecting Sunscreens in Natural Plants, L.A. Baker, M.D. Horbury, S.E. Greenough, F. Allais, P.S. Walsh, S. Habershon and V.G. Stavros. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2016, 7, 56 Retaining individualities: the photodynamics of self-ordering porphyrin assemblies, W.D. Quan, A. Pitto-Barry, L.A. Baker, E. Stulz, R. Napier, R.K. O'Reilly and V.G. Stavros. Chem. Comm. 2016, 52, 1938 Extreme population inversion in the fragments formed by UV photoinduced S–H bond fission in 2-thiophenethiol, R.A. Ingle, T.N.V. Karsili, G.J. Dennis, M. Staniforth, V.G. Stavros and M.N.R. Ashfold, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2016, 18, 11401