Project description

This project addresses the question of how life may emerge from inanimate chemical systems. It focuses on self-replicating molecules (i.e. molecules that are capable of promoting their own formation). A limited number of such molecules have been reported (for an example of the systems on which this project is based, see: Science 2010, 327, 1502). In principle, self-replicating molecules can undergo evolution, but in reality only very few instances of such behaviour are known (see for a recent example Nat. Chem. 2024, 16, 79). The objective of this project is to make systems of self-replicating molecules undergo Darwinian evolution by implementing mutation during replication and selection from the resulting mutants. The onset of evolution marks an important step in the Key challenges that will be addressed are: (i) the development of methods to monitor mutation rates; (ii) design of self-replicating systems such that they exhibit mutation rates that are not too high nor too low; (iii) the design of experimental conditions that allow evolution of the resulting systems by applying suitable selection pressures through (gradually) changing these conditions; (iv) enhancing the evolvability of the systems by allowing the accumulation of increasing amounts of heritable information and (v) the design of replicator systems and conditions that allow for evolutionary inventions to occur.
The project involves mostly experimental work including a large range of analytical techniques (UPLC, LC-MS, fluorescence and CD spectroscopy etc.), ideally combined with building block design and synthesis and computational modelling.

Additional specifications

We look for a candidate with a MSc in Chemistry or a related discipline. Experience with programming or kinetic modelling would be advantageous.