Paleo-atmospheric chemistry inferred from polar ice cores. I am interested in studying reactions, which possibly led to the abiotic formation of biological molecules. We would like to examine what sort of reactions led to the formation of the first living organisms on the earth. The other aspect of astrobiology that is of interest to me is to try to ascertain what sort of organisms may possibly be used to terraform the surface of Mars. We would like to see if organisms as primitive as lichens could somehow be modified to survive under the temperature and atmospheric conditions that exist on the surface of Mars.
Methanogens make energy by oxidizing hydrogen and reducing carbon dioxide to methane.
This mode of metabolism probably existed in early organisms on earth, and is also a possibility for extraterrestrial organisms. Some species including M. maripaludis can also fix nitrogen, i.e., obtain nitrogen in the form of dinitrogen gas. Our focus is on mechanisms by which M. maripaludis regulates the expression of genes for hydrogen utilization and for nitrogen fixation. As a molecular geneticist, my excitement comes from studying a microbial system. As a microbiologist, I am fascinated by microorganisms that play essential roles in nature and occupy important positions in evolution.