Research interests Photosynthesis powers life on Earth; it supplies the oxygen we breathe, and it converts waste carbon dioxide into food and fuel. However, sunlight is a diffuse energy source so an extensive light-harvesting (LH) antenna, consisting of thousands of pigment molecules, is required to absorb this energy and funnel it to specialised chlorophyll protein complexes called reaction centres. Here, the absorbed energy initiates a series of electron transfer reactions that capture some of the solar energy, prior to its storage in a chemical form that powers cellular metabolism. We exploit the relative simplicity of photosynthetic bacteria to study the biosynthesis of chlorophyll pigments, and we also investigate the assembly, structure membrane organisation and nanotechnology of photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes. We use a variety of approaches - molecular genetics, protein engineering, atomic force microscopy as well as structural and spectroscopic methods - for our studies of the biogenesis, structure and function of photosynthetic membranes. In addition, we are fortunate to have collaborations with many scientists in the UK, Europe, USA and China.