Astrobiologist of the Month
January
🌕
Every month we feature two astrobiologists from around the world. Our aim is for everyone to get to know each other, connect and network. If you would like to be featured, let us know here.
✉️ moran [at] unistra [dot] fr
🌍 Strasbourg, France
Opportunities
Undergraduate students
Masters students
PhD students
(for more information, click here)
JOSEPH MORAN
“I'm a synthetic organic chemist interested in catalysis in complex systems and the origin of biological metabolism.”
Position
Professor of Chemistry at ISIS, University of Strasbourg
Career Pathway
I did my BSc in chemistry, PhD in organic chemistry (both at uOttawa) and postdoc in transition metal catalysis (UT Austin)
Research Topics
Our lab tries to recreate nonenzymatic versions of metabolic pathways using simple catalysts such as proton gradients, metal ions, native metals, minerals and meteorites
Why did you decide to become an Astrobiologist?
I always wanted to know why the structures of small biomolecules and metabolic pathways are the way they are. It turns out that no one knows, so why not find out the answer myself?
If your lab/research group had a nickname, what would it be?
ProtoMetabolism Lab
Are you accepting students?
Undergraduate, Masters and PhD students (for more information, click here)