Project description
Geysers and microdroplets: unveiling life’s origins
The origins of life remain one of science’s greatest mysteries, with the role of specific environmental factors still under exploration. While water microdroplets have recently been recognised as a unique reaction medium, their potential in prebiotic chemistry is largely unexplored. Additionally, the mechanisms through which complex organic molecules such as carbohydrates form from simpler compounds remain unclear. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the FROM project hypothesises that geysers could have acted as catalysts for the synthesis of these molecules. Specifically, it explores the role of water microdroplets in CO2 reduction and the subsequent formation of carbohydrates through the formose reaction. This research offers a high-risk, high-reward approach to understanding the molecular origins of life.
Objective
I propose to examine the importance of water microdroplets sprayed from geysers as a reaction medium in prebiotic chemistry, with the goal of providing evidence for CO2-reduction to formaldehyde and following synthesis of carbohydrates from formaldehyde via the formose reaction. Water microdroplets have recently been proven to be a unique reaction medium, but the importance of microdroplets for the origins of life remains largely unexplored. This fellowship application proposes geysers as a catalyst for synthesis of complex organic molecules at the origin of life – a new hypothesis which has previously not been explored. This is a high risk, high gain proposal and the new scientific skills obtained during the fellowship will be highly valuable for a research career at the interface of organic synthesis and microdroplet chemistry. The project will be carried out over two years with Prof. Michael Pittelkow at the University of Copenhagen where all synthetic chemistry, kinetic experiments and characterization of products will be performed.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry aldehydes
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules carbohydrates
- natural sciences chemical sciences catalysis
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1165 KOBENHAVN
Denmark
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.