Protocells & Origins of Life

The origin of life (OoL) is thought to require three key ingredients for propagation: (1) a metabolic system, (2) a replication mechanism and (3) compartmentalisation. This study investigates a possible mechanism of compartmentalisation in the OoL, offering insight into candidates for membrane structures the earliest life on Earth may have utilised. Using a ‘bottom-up’ experimental approach, early Earth sulphidic environments were laboratory synthesised to investigate the self-assembly of carbon-sulphur biomorphs (CSBs) and assess their role in potential protocell formation during abiogenesis. This was the focus of my MEarthSci research.

Stay tuned - Publication in prep!