Grant: Canada Research Chairs

Metabolism is the set of interconnected chemical reactions that sustains living systems. The flow of energy and matter through metabolism is ultimately what differentiates living from dead. Although 20th century biochemistry has learned much about how metabolism works, little is known about why it works in the particular way that it does and its deep underlying logic. These questions are inextricably linked to questions about life’s origins – a problem widely acknowledged to be one of the most important and challenging in science. Dr. Moran's research program aims to recreate the dynamic chemical reaction networks that gave rise to life at its origins. The main objective is to identify the non-equilibrium conditions under which chemical reactions similar to those underlying the metabolic network spontaneously self-organize without enzymes. This work is expected to furnish deep understanding of how and why life’s biochemistry emerged and explain why it operates the way that it does, rooted in fundamental principles of catalysis, non-equilibrium chemistry, and organic chemistry. Besides addressing one of science’s most fundamental questions, this work will provide additional benefits for Canadians. As these reactions occur in water and all waste is ultimately recycled, understanding how these complex chemical systems emerge will provide inspiration for new technologies for sustainable chemical processes. In the long term, recreating these fundamental life processes from the bottom-up will allow for a deeper understanding of life and biochemistry, opening up new approaches to medicine and human health.