Biological metabolism uses protein enzymes, some of which contain "cofactors" or active sites that drive the reaction. But the origin of these cofactors, and their function in the early Earth geological environment billions of years ago when life emerged, is heavily debated. We are investigating how proto-metabolic reactions might have proceeded on early Earth before the development of full enzymes, and how the earliest life could have taken advantage of available geological catalysts. We are also investigating how simple prebiotic organics can be formed in the first place in early Earth enviroments, particularly at hydrothermal vents. More about this research.

Hydrothermal vents are environments that can support life on Earth and other worlds. Vents produce naturally occurring gradients can drive redox chemistry to support chemotrophic metabolism and, possibly, reactions toward the emergence of life. Hydrothermal chemistry can also drive organic alteration and support heterotrophic metabolisms. Understanding the details of life and habitability in vents can be challenging since these environments are difficult to access and monitor on the seafloor. We are working to use non-invasive methods to observe simulated hydrothermal chemistries in laboratory systems that mimic vents on early Earth and ocean worlds. More about this research.

Iron minerals are common in seafloor or hydrothermal systems and can drive redox chemistry of organic molecules and phosphorus species, mediate elemental cycling of bio-essential CHNOPS elements, and greatly affect life or origin of life in aqueous systems. We are interested in how redox-active minerals adsorb and concentrate chemical species, and how organics affect cycling of inorganic elements. More about this research.

Chemical gardens are self-organized structures that form spontaneously when two fluids containing reactive ions intersect. Hydrothermal chimneys are a geological version of a chemical garden that grows at seafloor vents, that may have also existed on early Earth and ocean worlds. We are interested in the physical and chemical mechanisms that control the formation of chemical gardens and chimneys, which has relevance to materials science as well as the emergence of life. More about this research.