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Dr. Raoul Frese

Department of Physics and Astronomy
Dr. Raoul Frese studies Biosolar Cells, photosynthesis based biological solar cells

Biography

Dr. Raoul Frese, born Amsterdam 1969, studied physics at the University of Amsterdam and received his PhD at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam studying the biophysics of photosynthesis, supervisor Rienk van Grondelle. After a postdoc at the Twente University in AFM imaging of a photosynthetic membrane (nanobiophysics), he received a young investigator grant from the Dutch science foundation (NWO-veni) to carry out his own research at the biophysics group at Leiden University. He could built his own lab and conducted his first experiments on photosynthetic reaction centers interconnected with conducting substrates. Frese became a research associate in the lab of Bob Niederman at Rutgers University (NJ, USA). After receiving an experienced investigator grant from NWO (Vidi) he and family returned to Amsterdam. At VU Amsterdam he has currently established his workgroup biohybrid solar cells where he and his team investigate the possibilities to interconnect photosynthetic materials to (semi-)conducting substrates for biosensors and solar energy harvesting. In another laboratory, Hybrid Forms, Frese directs the study of the new transdisciplinary research methodology artscience, in collaboration with artists, students and designers.

Research description

The primary processes of photosynthesis are carried out by nanoscale machines, optimized for light absorption and transfer of energy, electrons and charges. By billions of years of evolution, a multitude of such machines have been constructed, for all sorts of organisms all within their own ecological niche. Our understanding of these biological solar energy converters has reached such height, we can now start to build technology with them: creating novel, biological solar cells. We interconnect these protein-complexes with nano crafted substrates, to implement interactions enhancing specific parameters such as light absorption and durability. Photosynthetic organisms grow by solar energy, and the take up of CO2 and water, and combined can store close to all human made CO2 emissions annually. When photosynthetic materials is utilized, this CO2 is prevented to enter the atmosphere and thus stored. Hence, biosolar cells do not only present a novel, biological friendly technology for photovoltaics, it also actively captures and stores CO2!

This highly interdisciplinary research encompasses biochemistry, electrochemistry, materials design, light spectroscopy and microscopy to name a few. It also inspires a more holistic research into applied photosynthesis: a technology connected to the seasons of plant growth and decay. This endeavor inspires the development of the transdisciplinary methodology of artscience, where artists and scientists collaborate to create new works and materials, allowing a reflective approach to novel bio-based technologies, and human-nature interactions.

Selected publications

  • The native architecture of a photosynthetic membrane S Bahatyrova and Raoul N Frese et al. Nature (2004); 430 (7003), 1058-1062
  • Photosynthetic protein complexes as bio-photovoltaic building blocks retaining a high internal quantum efficiency M Kamran et al. Biomacromolecules (2014) 15 (8), 2833-2838 
  • Sustaining Electron Transfer Pathways Extends Biohybrid Photoelectrode Stability to Years VM Friebe et al. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2022), e202201148

Meet Dr. Raoul Frese

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SfES project: master course for SfES physics

Innovation Project: Energy transition, bachelor course for SBI

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