2021, Yang, Tingxiang, Chettri, Avinash, Radwan, Basseem, Matuszyk, Ewelina, Baranska, Malgorzata, Dietzek, Benjamin

Small molecules are frequently used as dyes, labels and markers to visualize and probe biophysical processes within cells. However, very little is generally known about the light-driven excited-state reactivity of such systems when placed in cells. Here an experimental approach to study ps time-resolved excited state dynamics of a benchmark molecular marker, astaxanthin, in live human cells is introduced. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2021.