Profile of the fellow
Luca Ottonello is a doctoral researcher at the University of Groningen. He holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Theoretical Physics from the Università degli Studi di Genova. His academic journey began in high-energy physics, where his Master’s thesis focused on neutrino mass generation models and Standard Model Effective Field Theories.
Driven by a profound fascination with how complex structures emerge from fundamental physical laws, Luca transitioned from studying the theoretical frameworks of the early universe to the physical mechanisms that sparked the origin of life. He now applies his background in theoretical physics and non-linear dynamics to study complex chemical networks.
Currently, his research integrates systems chemistry and evolutionary perspectives to address longstanding questions in the origin-of-life field. Specifically, he investigates the origin of metabolic control and information storage, the emergence of individuality, and the mediation of conflict and cooperation between coexisting replicators, analyzing these biological milestones through the rigorous lens of physics and thermodynamics.
