Unraveling non-equilibrium biophysics through strong-field THz radiation

Structures, dynamics, and phenomena in the chemical and biological sciences are based on equilibrium descriptions in the absence of an external stimulus. However, an ever-growing swathe of processes involving energetic stimuli – for example, light excitation in photocatalysis or strong-field THz radiation –drive these systems out of equilibrium to render new states or behavioral dynamics along with new properties in health-related applications. In this talk, we will anchor ultrafast terahertz excitation as a generalized approach to theoretically and experimentally study basic nonequilibrium states of water and water-based systems to orchestrate solvation (bio)chemistry to capable of tackling real-world societal challenges, such as paving the path to water remediation of environmental pollutants and understanding biological function of proteins under external stimuli for personalized medicine.