fotobiology

Photobiology is the scientific study of the interactions between light and living organisms. It encompasses a broad range of phenomena, from the fundamental processes of photosynthesis in plants to the effects of sunlight on human skin and the use of light in medical therapies. The field investigates how organisms detect, absorb, and respond to light energy across the electromagnetic spectrum, including ultraviolet, visible, and infrared radiation.

Key areas within photobiology include photosynthesis, the process by which plants and other organisms convert light energy into chemical energy. It also examines vision, the mechanism by which light is detected by photoreceptor cells in the eyes. Photobiology further explores photomorphogenesis, the light-mediated development of plants, and photoperiodism, the biological response to the length of day and night. In humans and other animals, photobiology investigates topics such as vitamin D synthesis in the skin, the circadian rhythm, and the detrimental effects of excessive UV exposure, including sunburn and skin cancer. Additionally, photodynamic therapy, a medical treatment that uses light to activate photosensitive drugs to destroy diseased cells, is a significant application within the field.