Oxygenic photosynthesis is the process that powers life on earth. It has shaped the atmosphere by CO₂ consumption and O₂ production. Today oxygenic photosynthesis also serves as a blueprint for the large-scale production of non-fossil fuels, using merely water and CO₂ as raw materials. By closely interfaced lecture periods and lab experiments, the following topics are addressed:

THE BASICS: Evolution and current types of photosynthetic organisms, basic mechanisms of the photosynthetic light reactions and dark reactions

METHODS: Purification of functional photosynthetic membrane particles and protein complexes, biophysical standard methods in photosynthesis research, genetic modification of photosynthetic protein complexes as a tool in biophysical research.

SPECIAL TOPICS: Bio-Hydrogen and Bio-Diesel production by photosynthetic organisms – an overview.