Research
The central question of our laboratory is how chemical systems evolved into modern biological information-processing systems. We investigate the transitions that connected RNA chemistry, peptide synthesis, and evolvable molecular systems. Across these directions, we ask how simple reactions became coupled, selective, and capable of supporting information transfer. Our work brings together RNA chemistry, molecular evolution, synthetic systems, and chemical biology to examine plausible steps between prebiotic molecular networks and early translation.
Origin of Translation Systems
We study plausible chemical and molecular routes by which RNA-centered systems could have supported peptide-bond formation and developed toward early translation. The work centers on testable models for the emergence of catalytic organization and information-directed synthesis.
Key questions
- How could primitive RNA assemblies promote peptide synthesis?
- Which features of the peptidyl transferase center reflect an earlier catalytic state?
- How might early translation systems connect sequence information to chemical function?
Representative approaches
- RNA chemistry and catalysis
- Mechanistic analysis of peptide-bond formation
- Molecular evolution and model-system reconstruction
RNA World and Molecular Evolution
We examine the chemical versatility of RNA and the evolutionary processes that can transform simple sequences into functional molecular systems. These studies address how replication, catalysis, and selection might have interacted before modern biology emerged.
Key questions
- What chemical functions can be sustained by RNA alone?
- How do ribozymes acquire, retain, and diversify catalytic activity?
- Which prebiotic conditions support productive RNA chemistry?
Representative approaches
- Ribozyme discovery and characterization
- In vitro molecular evolution
- Prebiotic and systems chemistry
Synthetic Biology and Chemical Evolution
We build simplified and engineered molecular systems to test principles that are difficult to isolate in living cells. By combining chemical biology with synthetic approaches, we seek general rules governing information transfer, molecular cooperation, and evolvability.
Key questions
- What is the minimal chemistry required for information processing?
- How do engineered molecular networks gain new collective functions?
- Can synthetic systems reveal general constraints on biological evolution?
Representative approaches
- Engineered molecular systems
- Artificial biological systems
- Chemical biology tools and quantitative assays