Transimpedance amplifier with biopotentials
To read out a photo diode you can indeed very well use a TIA. 

Wikipedia tells all the information you need to design a circuit. 
Find a suitable operational amplifier with a low input referred noise (just search for low noise opamp). 

The formula for the output voltage is simply:

$$\frac{V_{out}}{I_P} = -R_f$$

The output voltage is buffered by the amplifier so you can directly filter it in the way you want it.