Alexander V. Ruban

Professor Alexander V. Ruban is a Professor of Biophysics in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at Queen Mary University of London. He holds a 'Professeur des Universites' title from the French Ministry of Education and obtained his PhD from the Institute of Plant Physiology, Ukraine. His research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of photoprotection and light energy utilization in photosynthetic organisms, particularly the dynamics of the thylakoid membrane and LHCII antenna complexes.

• Affiliations: School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology
• Key Research Areas: Photosynthesis, Photoprotection, Biophysics, Light Harvesting Antennas

Education: PhD in Plant Physiology from the Institute of Plant Physiology, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences.

Research Interests: Ruban's work has elucidated the role of LHCII aggregation in photoprotection (NPQ), the structural and functional impact of xanthophylls, and the design principles of photosynthetic membranes. His lab employs techniques like picosecond fluorimetry and AFM to study membrane dynamics and protein interactions.

Recent Articles Highlight: Ruban's research includes studies on the molecular mechanisms of NPQ, the role of lipid composition in energy dissipation, and the structural basis of light harvesting in diverse organisms like diatoms and algae.

Awards: Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award (2020s), Fellow of The Royal Society of Biology.

Grants & Collaborations: Leverhulme Trust grants on photosynthetic membrane structures and collaborations with institutions like the University of Sheffield and the Free University, Amsterdam.

Labs/Teams: The Ruban Lab is part of the London Photosynthesis Network and engages in industrial partnerships (e.g., Valoya, Microsoft) for LED-based plant illumination systems.