{
  "meta": {
    "api_type": "NWO Projects API",
    "version": "1.0.2",
    "licence": {
      "name": "CC0 1.0 Universal",
      "url": "https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0",
      "description": "To the extent possible under law, all copyright and related or neighbouring rights have been waived worldwide to the data made available through this API."
    },
    "documentation": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14918287",
    "release_date": "2025-08-20T00:00:00",
    "funder": "https://doi.org/10.13039/501100003246",
    "ror_id": "https://ror.org/04jsz6e67",
    "date": "2026-11-05T00:00:00",
    "count": 1,
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    "pages": 1,
    "page": 1
  },
  "projects": [
    {
      "project_id": "SG-06-2-235",
      "title": "Autofluorescent proteins in a new light: a quantum Monte Carlo study",
      "funding_scheme_id": 2265,
      "funding_scheme": "Rekentijd nationale computersystemen Rekentijd nationale computersystemen 2006 EW",
      "department": "Exacte en Natuurwetenschappen",
      "sub_department": "Exacte Wetenschappen",
      "start_date": "2006-05-08T00:00:00",
      "end_date": "2006-08-21T00:00:00",
      "reporting_year": 2006,
      "summary_nl": "This application represents a continuation of the PILOT-project 2004/2005. \n\nThe focus of the project is to theoretically investigate the physical behavior of fluorescent, photoactive biosystems, in particular the interplay between their microscopic structure and spectral functions.  Understanding the nature of the excitations in photobiological systems is important from a fundamental point of view and provides a unique route to unravel phenomena such as \n\nphotobleaching and blinking behavior of autofluorescent proteins, which currently limit many single-molecule techniques.\n\n\n\nTo understand theoretically the photophysics of these systems, we need to be able to accurately compute the excitation energies of relatively large molecular systems. This is not a simple task and several theoretical approaches employed so far do not possess a sufficient degree of reliability to be used as a predictive tool for the study of photoactive biomolecules. In the last couple\n\nof years, we have developed a different theoretical framework, based on quantum \n\nMonte Carlo (QMC) methods, for the accurate computation of electronic excited states.  Tackling the photophysics of complex biosystems with this methodology is at the cutting edge of correlated calculations of excited states, a level of sophistication necessary to explain the molecular mechanisms of photobiological \n\nbehavior.\n\n\n\nUsing these quantum Monte Carlo techniques, we want to elucidate the nature of the photoexcited states of green (GFP) and red (dsRed) fluorescent proteins, understand how mutations shift their optical transitions, and investigate how dark states affect their photostability. We have chosen GFP as our starting playground for theoretical investigations of autofluorescent proteins for several reasons.\n\nBecause of its relevance in biotechnology, GFP is experimentally well characterized, \n\nserving as a stringent test for theoretical modeling. Moreover, the chromophore of GFP is a relatively small molecule, ideal for systematic testing of approximations, limitations and other elements inherent in a theoretical approach.  Relevant amino-acids of the surrounding environment can also be included without \n\nsignificant increase in the computational effort.  Finally, there are still controversial issues concerning the photophysics of GFP which need to be addressed by theoretical investigations.\n\n\n\n",
      "summary_en": "This application represents a continuation of the PILOT-project 2004/2005. \n\nThe focus of the project is to theoretically investigate the physical behavior of fluorescent, photoactive biosystems, in particular the interplay between their microscopic structure and spectral functions.  Understanding the nature of the excitations in photobiological systems is important from a fundamental point of view and provides a unique route to unravel phenomena such as \n\nphotobleaching and blinking behavior of autofluorescent proteins, which currently limit many single-molecule techniques.\n\n\n\nTo understand theoretically the photophysics of these systems, we need to be able to accurately compute the excitation energies of relatively large molecular systems. This is not a simple task and several theoretical approaches employed so far do not possess a sufficient degree of reliability to be used as a predictive tool for the study of photoactive biomolecules. In the last couple\n\nof years, we have developed a different theoretical framework, based on quantum \n\nMonte Carlo (QMC) methods, for the accurate computation of electronic excited states.  Tackling the photophysics of complex biosystems with this methodology is at the cutting edge of correlated calculations of excited states, a level of sophistication necessary to explain the molecular mechanisms of photobiological \n\nbehavior.\n\n\n\nUsing these quantum Monte Carlo techniques, we want to elucidate the nature of the photoexcited states of green (GFP) and red (dsRed) fluorescent proteins, understand how mutations shift their optical transitions, and investigate how dark states affect their photostability. We have chosen GFP as our starting playground for theoretical investigations of autofluorescent proteins for several reasons.\n\nBecause of its relevance in biotechnology, GFP is experimentally well characterized, \n\nserving as a stringent test for theoretical modeling. Moreover, the chromophore of GFP is a relatively small molecule, ideal for systematic testing of approximations, limitations and other elements inherent in a theoretical approach.  Relevant amino-acids of the surrounding environment can also be included without \n\nsignificant increase in the computational effort.  Finally, there are still controversial issues concerning the photophysics of GFP which need to be addressed by theoretical investigations.\n\n\n\n",
      "project_members": [
        {
          "role": "Project leader",
          "member_id": 176883,
          "last_name": "Saarloos",
          "degree_pre_nominal": "prof. dr. ir.",
          "initials": "W.",
          "first_name": "Wim",
          "prefix": "van",
          "organisation": "Universiteit Leiden||Instituut Lorentz Center",
          "organisation_id": 55708,
          "ror": "https://ror.org/027bh9e22",
          "active": false
        },
        {
          "role": "Main Applicant",
          "member_id": 176883,
          "last_name": "Saarloos",
          "degree_pre_nominal": "prof. dr. ir.",
          "initials": "W.",
          "first_name": "Wim",
          "prefix": "van",
          "organisation": "Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek||Directie Transitie-Organisatie",
          "organisation_id": 47513,
          "ror": "-",
          "active": true
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}