BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//132.216.98.100//NONSGML kigkonsult.se iCalcreator 2.20.4//
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:20260122T195530EST-3399FVuTcd@132.216.98.100
DTSTAMP:20260123T005530Z
DESCRIPTION:Abstract: \n\nThe Metabolism-First hypothesis for the origin of
  life posits that organic chemical reaction networks originated in geochem
 istry and became more complex through catalytic feedback effects. This pro
 cess would lead to increasing autonomy from the original environment\, ult
 imately resulting in the metabolic pathways found in chemoautotrophic orga
 nisms and a free-standing cell replete with catalysts for its own reaction
 s (coenzymes\, enzymes and genes). This hypothesis connects well with earl
 y microbial physiology – a weakness of other hypotheses.\n\nBut what lower
 ed the kinetic barriers such that these reaction networks could have emerg
 ed in the first place? Heterogeneous catalysis by metals and minerals was 
 long suspected\, but extensive experimental work from my group and others 
 has shown them to be promising yet insufficient. What is missing?\n\nHere 
 I propose that strong electric fields\, working together with metals\, wer
 e life’s first catalysts. Electric field catalysis is exceptionally genera
 l\, maximizing the chance that complex reaction networks can emerge. An or
 igin of metabolism under electric fields explains why enzymes operate pred
 ominantly by electrostatic effects\, why phosphorylation is so central to 
 metabolism despite being so challenging in water\, and provides a fresh ta
 ke on how proton gradients\, catalysis\, and phosphorylation became linked
  in membrane bioenergetics. Experiments and calculations supporting this h
 ypothesis will be presented.\n\n \n\nBio:\n\nA native of Rosemère\, QC\, J
 oseph completed his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in synthetic organic chemistry at the 
 University of Ottawa before moving to the University of Texas at Austin fo
 r postdoctoral work. In 2012\, he joined ISIS/University of Strasbourg as 
 an assistant professor and was promoted directly to full professor in 2018
 . In Strasbourg\, he was a two-time ERC grantee and was made a member of t
 he Institut Universitaire de France. In 2024\, he returned to the Universi
 ty of Ottawa as a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair. His research interests are
  in organic chemistry\, the origin of life\, and how vibrational strong co
 upling can influence chemistry. He was awarded the Liebig Lectureship from
  the German Chemical Society (2022)\, the Forcheurs Jean-Marie Lehn Prize 
 (2020\, with Harun Tüysüz)\, C&EN’s Talented 12 (2018)\, and the Jean Norm
 ant Prize from the French Chemical Society (2018).\n
DTSTART:20260127T180000Z
DTEND:20260127T193000Z
LOCATION:OM 10\, Maass Chemistry Building\, CA\, QC\, Montreal\, H3A 0B8\, 
 801 rue Sherbrooke Ouest
SUMMARY:91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Chemical Society Seminar Series- Joseph Moran: The Metabolic
  Origin of Life from Metals and Electric Fields
URL:/channels/channels/event/mcgill-chemical-society-s
 eminar-series-joseph-moran-metabolic-origin-life-metals-and-electric-field
 s-370527
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR