Professor Klaas Wynne
- Chair in Chemical Physics (School of Chemistry)
telephone:
(0141) 330 8522
email:
Klaas.Wynne@glasgow.ac.uk
A4.11b, School of Chemistry, Joseph Black Building
Research interests
In the Chemical Photonics | Ultrafast/slow Chemical Physics group, we are interested in the fundamental chemical physics of liquids, proteins, and soft matter. Of particular interest are phase transitions such as liquid-liquid (polyamorphous) transitions and nucleation of new phases such as crystals. These phenomena are studied using ultrafast laser spectroscopy (from femtoseconds to nanoseconds) and novel microscopy methods for the laser manipulation of phases. Our recent work has been published in some of the top journals (Nature Chemistry, Nature Communnications, JACS) and receives funding through an ERC Advanced grant as well as grants from EPSRC, MRC, Gates Foundation, and Leverhulme.
Publication highlights
- Liao, A. Das, C. Glen Robb, R. Beveridge, and K. Wynne, ‘Amorphous aggregates with a very wide size distribution play a central role in crystal nucleation’, Chem. Sci. 15, 12420-12430 (2024). (https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SC00452C)
- M. González-Jiménez, Z. Liao, E. Lloyd Williams, K. Wynne, 'Lifting Hofmeister’s curse: Impact of cations on diffusion, hydrogen bonding and clustering of water', J. Am. Chem. Soc. 146, 368–376 (2024). (https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.3c09421)
- B.A. Russell, M. González-Jiménez, N.V. Tukachev, L-A. Hayes, T. Chowdhury, U. Javornik, G. Mali, M. Tassieri, J.H. Farnaby, H.M. Senn, K. Wynne, 'A second glass transition observed in single-component homogeneous liquids due to intramolecular vitrification', J. Am. Chem. Soc. 145, 26061-26067 (2023). (https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.3c07110)
- González-Jiménez, T. Barnard, B.A. Russell, N.V. Tukachev, U. Javornik, L. Hayes, A.J. Farrell, S. Guinane, H.M. Senn, A.J. Smith, M. Wilding, G. Mali, M. Nakano, Y. Miyazaki, P. McMillan, G.C. Sosso, K. Wynne, ‘Understanding the emergence of the boson peak in molecular glasses’, Nat. Commun. 14, 215 (2023). (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-35878-6)
- Liao, K. Wynne, ‘A metastable amorphous intermediate is responsible for laser-induced nucleation of glycine’, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 144, 6727-6733 (2022). (https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.1c11154)
- J. Siria, R. Sanou, J. Mitton, E.P. Mwanga, A. Niang, I. Sare, P.C.D. Johnson, G.M. Foster, A.M.G. Belem, K. Wynne, R. Murray-Smith, H.M. Ferguson, M. González-Jiménez, S.A. Babayan, A. Diabaté, F.O. Okumu and F. Baldini, ‘Rapid age-grading and species identification of natural mosquitoes for malaria surveillance’, Nat. Commun. 13, 1501 (2022). (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28980-8)
- Walton, J. Bolling, A. Farrell, J. MacEwen, C. Syme, M. González Jiménez, H. Senn, C. Wilson, G. Cinque, and K. Wynne, ‘Polyamorphism mirrors polymorphism in the liquid–liquid transition of a molecular liquid’, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 142, 7591-7597 (2020). (https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.0c01712)
Research groups
Grants
- 2019-2024 ERC Advanced Grant, Laser control over crystal nucleation – CONTROL, £2872k (FEC), Wynne
- 2019-2022 Leverhulme RPG-2018-350, Delocalised phonon-like modes in organic and bio-molecules, £341k, Wynne, Lapthorn, Senn
- 2017-2019 MRC MR/P025501/1, Development of a new tool for malaria mosquito surveillance to improve vector control, £664k, H. Ferguson, K. Wynne, H. Ranson, F. Okumu
- 2016-2019 EPSRC EP/N007417/1 Mapping and controlling nucleation £562k K. Wynne, D. France
- 2015-2016 EPSRC EP/N508792/1 A Dynamic Perspective on Biomolecular Function and Reactivity £14k K. Wynne, A. Lapthorn, B.O. Smith, N.T. Hunt, M. Fedorov
- 2013-2016, EPSRC EP/K034995/1, "Solvation dynamics and structure around proteins and peptides: collective network motions or weak interactions", £546k, K. Wynne, , A. Lapthorn, S. Kelly.
- 2012-2015, EPSRC EP/J00975X/1, EP/J009733/1, "The structure and dynamics of water confined in nanoscale pools: the dynamic crossover", £586k, K. Wynne, N. Hunt.
- 2012-2015, EPSRC EP/J004790, EP/J004812, EP/J014478, "Liquid–liquid transitions in molecular liquids: from supramolecular structure to phase separation", £634k, K. Wynne, J. Sefcik.
- 2013, RSC, Faraday Discussion Meeting "Mesostructure and dynamics in liquids and solutions", K. Wynne, A. Soper (RAL), A. Angel (Arizona State U.), K. Seddon (Queen's U.), S. Meech (UEA), H.E. Stanley (Boston U.).
- 2010, ISIS 1010269, A liquid-liquid transition in supercooled Gallium (3 days on SANDALS), K. Wynne, F. Demmel, W.S. Howells, D.A. Turton
- 2008-2013, EPSRC EP/F06926X, Two-dimensional terahertz–IR spectroscopy: a unique probe of ultrafast hydrogen-bond dynamics of liquid water and model systems, £623k, K. Wynne, J. Karolin, D.J.S. Birch
- 2007-2011, EPSRC EP/E046541, Terahertz spectroscopy of aqueous ionic solutions to understand the role of hydrogen-bond network breaking and strengthening in the Hofmeister series, £470k, K. Wynne, N.T Hunt
- 2006-2011, EPSRC EP/D062861/1, Nanometrology for Molecular Science, Medicine and Manufacture, £3118k, Birch, Pickup, Faulds, O’Donnell, Smith, Martin, Wynne, Dawson, Girkin, Graham, Gnudi, Rolinski
- 2006-2011, SFC, Nanometrology for Molecular Science, Medicine and Manufacture, £1150k, Birch, Pickup, Faulds, O’Donnell, Smith, Martin, Wynne, Dawson, Girkin, Graham, Gnudi, Rolinski
- 2004-2007, EPSRC GR/S95510, A comparison of the THz-frequency vibrational spectra of (chiral) liquids obtained through ultrafast infrared and Raman spectroscopies, £252k, K. Wynne
- 2004-2005, Wolfson Foundation, Nanometrology of colloidal particles, £449k, Birch, Wynne, Smith, Graham
- 2004-2009, Leverhulme Trust F/00273/E, Surface-enhanced ultrafast Kerr-effect spectroscopy of dynamics in biomolecules, £125k, K. Wynne, D.J.S. Birch
- 2004-2007, EPSRC GR/S75369, Understanding the structural and dynamic basis of kinetics in biomolecules using novel ultrafast Raman techniques, £330k, K. Wynne, D.J.S. Birch, W.E. Smith, D. Graham, J.O. Karolin
- 2004-2005, SHEFC SRIF, Materials preparation and characterisation equipment, and solid-state ultrafast laser sources (SHEFC, Science Research Investment Fund), £470k, Several investigators including D.J.S. Birch and K. Wynne
- 2003-2006, EPSRC GR/S48110 & GR/S48127, Single Molecule Sensing in Clinical Medicine (EPSRC Adventure Fund), £528k, Birch, Pickup, Smith, Wynne, Graham, Gnudi, Rolinski
- 2003-2006, EPSRC GR/R97566, Using electromagnetic pulses emitted by ultrafast molecular currents for studying charge-transfer reactions, £211k, K. Wynne, D.A. Jaroszynski
- 2002-2006, EPSRC GR/R88090, Basic technology: Developing laser-plasma accelerators and coherent radiation sources as tools for time-resolved studies, £4270k, Jaroszynski, Burnett, Cairns, Dangor, Gillespie, Wark, Bingham, Poole, Norreys, Wynne, Hooker, Krushelnick, Walmsley
- 1999-2001, EPSRC GR/M75600, Ultrafast electron-energy loss/gain spectroscopy (fs-EELS/EEGS), £78k, K. Wynne, D.A. Jaroszynski
- 1999-2002, SHEFC RDG, X-ray to infrared sources for Strathclyde Terahertz to Optical Pulse Source (TOPS), £570k, D.A. Jaroszynski, A.D.R. Phelps, K. Wynne
- 1999-2003, PRF 34344 - AC6, Chemical reaction control with high-power femtosecond electrical pulses, £40k, K. Wynne
- 1999-2002, EPSRC GR/M52090, Study of superradiance and short pulse propagation in an underdense plasma, £406k, D.A. Jaroszynski, A.D.R. Phelps, K. Wynne
- 1999-2003, RS A20172, Femtosecond field emitter, £10k, K. Wynne
- 1999-2002, SHEFC , Strathclyde Synchronised Electron and High Power Ultra-Short Terahertz to Optical Pulse Source (TOPS), £530k, D.A. Jaroszynski, A.D.R. Phelps, K. Wynne
- 1999-2002, EPSRC GR/M39312, The solvent response to chemical reactions, £190k, K. Wynne
- 1997-1999, EPSRC GR/L91627, T-Ray near-field imaging, £51k, K. Wynne
- 1997-1999, EPSRC GR/K88002, Temporal and spectral dynamics of phonons in crystals excited using subpicosecond optical pulses, £193k, T.P.J. Han, K. Wynne
- 1996-1997, Strathclyde, Ultrafast reaction dynamics in proteins, £20k, K. Wynne
- 1997-1999, EPSRC GR/K88972, Fluorescence dynamics in confined water: application to the structure of silica hydrogels, £198k, D.J.S. Birch, K. Wynne
Research datasets
Additional information
Recent marks of esteem
2019 - Awarded an ERC Advanced grant
2018 - Awarded the RSC Chemical Dynamics Award for outstanding contributions to time-resolved spectroscopy
2017 - Appointed Associate Editor JACS
2015 - Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE)
2013 - Elected Member of Faraday Division Council
2012 - Elected member of the editorial advisory board of the Journal of Physical Chemistry B
2012 - Elected a member of the EPSRC college of peer reviewers
2012 - Elected member of the board of Chemical Physics (Elsevier)
Recent professional activities
- Member Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) panel for the SNSF Consolidator Grants call (2022-2024).
- Co-chair of the international conference on Time-Resolved Vibrational Spectroscopy (TRVS), 2023, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Associate Editor of the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS) (2017-2020).
- Member of the Editorial Board of the Elsevier journal Chemical Physics (2012-present).
- Member of the editorial advisory board of the Journal of Physical Chemistry (2012-2015).
- Member of the Faraday Division council of the RSC (2013-2016).
- Member of the EPSRC college of peers (2012-present).
- Co-organiser of the international conference on Time-Resolved Vibrational Spectroscopy (TRVS), 2017, UK.
- Member of the international organising committee of the international conference on Time-Resolved Vibrational Spectroscopy, TRVS (2009-present).