Seminar

Figure 1 Diagram of a reverse vesicle structure made from phospholipids in alkane liquids

Astrobiology covers a wide range of disciplines. My research is focused on the astrobiological potential of Titan (Saturn’s largest moon) and the origins of life on Earth.

Titan has a plethora of potentially habitable environments. The subsurface water-dominant environments could harbour life similar to the psychrophiles (cold-loving biota) and toxitolerant (oil-loving biota) extremophiles found on Earth. If the surface is inhabited, exotic biota based upon alkane liquids (methane and ethane) rather than liquid water may have evolved. Reverse vesicles, composed of a bilayer with the hydrophilic head groups arranged internally and a nonpolar core, may be ideal model cell membranes for alkane-based life (see Figure 1). 

I will report on the results from my experimental studies which used environmental conditions that were increasingly comparable to those found on the surface of Titan and involved various imaging and scattering analyses. Future Titan related studies at HKU might involve molecular dynamic simulations and further experimental research into these reversed vesicles, as well as investigating psychrophiles that are also toxitolerant.

Studying the origin and early evolution of life on Earth is an integral part of understanding the conditions required
for life to form and evolve on other planetary bodies. I will be working with Dr Liliang Li to research the fossils within the huge phosphorite deposits in the Doushantuo Fm, with the aim to evaluate the rapid evolutionary expansion of primitive multicellular life.