Dr. John Kennis

Professor

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Biography

John Kennis earned his PhD in Biophysics in 1997 from Leiden University. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California at Berkeley from 1998 to 2000, supported by an HFSP fellowship. He joined Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in 2000 for a postdoctoral position, received an NWO-VIDI fellowship in 2004, and obtained a tenured Assistant Professor position in 2007. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2010 after receiving an NWO-VICI fellowship and was appointed Full Professor in 2016. His research focuses on the physical-chemical mechanisms of reception, storage, and processing of photonic energy information in biological systems. He employs advanced time-resolved spectroscopic techniques, such as transient absorption and stimulated Raman spectroscopy, to explore the dynamic structural basis of light-mediated signal transduction at the molecular level. His work includes the study of photoreceptor proteins and the development of optogenetic switches and sensors for applications in cell biology and neuroscience. Kennis also addresses the physical-chemical basis of regulatory phenomena in photosynthetic light harvesting, emphasizing the role of carotenoids and their involvement in energy transfer processes during dynamic light harvesting functions.

Research Interests

Requirements for Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
IELTS
Listening
Required:6.5
Reading
Required:6.5
Writing
Required:6.5
Speaking
Required:6.5
Overall
Required:6.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:22
Reading
Required:24
Writing
Required:24
Speaking
Required:25
Total
Required:100
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Psychology or related field 12 ECTS in Research Methods/Statistics 12 ECTS in Clinical Diagnosis/Assessment
Application Checklist
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Official Transcripts
  • Motivation Letter
  • Proof of English Proficiency
Specialization Notes

Administered under the Department of Clinical Psychology for Master's in Clinical and Developmental Psychopathology.