Because many Earth-like planets exist in the universe, it seems plausible life could exist elsewhere in the galaxy. Biologist and Nobel laureate Jack Szostak seeks to answer this big universal question by studying small simple molecules. If Szostak finds life is easily created from simple chemical components on Earth, its plausible life exists elsewhere in the galactic abyss.
Szostak presented the lecture “The Origins of Cellular Life” Tuesday at Auburn University, as the guest speaker of the College of Agriculture’s E.T. York Distinguished Lecturer Series and the Littleton-Franklin Lectures Series.
As a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School and an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Szostak studies the origin of life. By experimenting with simple molecules and conditions found on early earth, Szostak hopes to generate a simple, primitive cell, known as a protocell.
“The origin of life is one of those things people have been curious about for centuries,” Szostak said. “At some level, we all would like to understand how we got here.”
Szostak’s theorizes that primitive cells have both a cell membrane as well as genetic material, RNA. This genetic material must perform useful functions for the cell and can be replicable and inheritable.
Although Szostak has made progress in understanding the formation of a cell membrane, he is still in the process of discovering the interworking of the genetic material’s chemistry.
“I think the biggest remaining gap in our understanding is how you get the right source of chemical energy to drive these reactions,” Szostak said. “That’s still pretty much a mystery.”
Despite the complexity of studying the origins of life, Szostak emphasized he was ultimately putting simple chemicals together to build a simple cell.
“I’m very impressed with how he could take a very complicated subject and make it intelligible to an undergraduate audience,” said Philip Shevlin, former Auburn professor emeritus.
Szostak’s lecture was well-attended by more than 100 faculty members and students from different disciplines.
“It was all pretty new to me,” said Mike Ciuzio, senior in mechanical engineering. “As an engineering student, this was delving into uncharted territory, but it was really fascinating and answered a lot of questions I had.”
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