Rama Chakrabarti in lab
Rama Chakrabarti
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Origins of Life: Postdoctoral Fellows

Past Postdoctoral Fellows

Ramananda Chakrabarti (Earth and Planetary Sciences)

Publications:

  1. Y. Amelin, P. Janney, R. Chakrabarti, M. Wadhwa, S. B. Jacobsen, 2008, Isotopic analysis of small Pb samples using MC-ICPMS: The limits of precision and comparison to TIMS, Annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union, San Francisco.
  2. R. Chakrabarti and S. B. Jacobsen, 2008, Mg and Si isotopes in the Solar System, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v.72, number 12S, 18th Goldschmidt Conference, Vancouver, Canada
  3. R. Chakrabarti, S. B. Jacobsen and J. Farkas, 2008, A combined Silicon, Magnesium and Calcium isotopic study of bulk meteorites and the Earth,  Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIX, Abstract #2398, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston (CD-ROM)
  4. S. B. Jacobsen, R. Chakrabarti, M.C. Ranen and M. I. Petaev, 2008, High Resolution 26Al-26Mg Chronometry of CAIs From the Allende Meteorite, Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIX, Abstract #1999, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston (CD-ROM)
  5. S. B. Jacobsen, R. Chakrabarti, O. Bogdanovski, M.C. Ranen and M. I. Petaev, 2007, High Resolution 26Al-26Mg Chronometry of CAIs From the Allende Meteorite, Workshop on the chronology of meteorites in the early solar system, Hawaii.

Jesse Chen (Molecular Biology, MGH)

Research:

Artificial DNAs for non-enzymatic polymerization and aptamer

Publication:

  1. Tsai CH, Chen J, Szostak JW. Enzymatic synthesis of DNA on glycerol nucleic acid templates without stable duplex formation between product and template. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Sep 11; 104(37): 14598-603. PDF Supporting information

Marcello Guzman (SEAS - Envirionmentsl Chemistry)

Website:

http://people.seas.harvard.edu/~mig/

Publications:

  1. Photo-Production of Lactate from Glyoxylate: How Minerals Can Facilitate Energy Storage in a Prebiotic World. M.I. Guzman and S.T. Martin. −Chemical Communications (2010), 46, DOI:10.1039/b924179e.
  2. Thermochromism of Model Organic Aerosol Matter. A.G. Rincon, M.I. Guzman, M.R. Hoffmann, and A.J. Colussi.Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters (2010), 1, 368-373.PDF
  3. Optical Absorptivity versus Molecular Composition of Model Organic Aerosol Matter.; A.G. Rincon, M.I. Guzman, M.R. Hoffmann, and A.J. Colussi. Journal of Physical Chemistry A (2009), 113, 10512-10520.PDF
  4. Prebiotic Metabolism: Production by Mineral Photoelectrochemistry of -Ketocarboxylic Acids in the Reductive Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle. M.I. Guzman and S.T. Martin. Astrobiology (2009), 9, 833-842.PDF
  5. Synthesis of Pyrimidines and Triazines in Ice: Implications for the Prebiotic Chemistry of Nucleobases. C. Menor-Salvan, M. Ruiz-Bermejo, M.I. Guzman, S. Osuna-Esteban, S. Veintemillas-Verdaguer. Chemistry-A European Journal (2009), 15, 4411-4418.PDF
  6. Oxaloacetate-to-Malate Conversion by Mineral Photoelectrochemistry: Implications for the Viability of the Reductive Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle in Prebiotic Chemistry. M.I. Guzman and S.T. Martin. International Journal of Astrobiology (2008), 7, 271-278.PDF

Publications:

  1. American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting. Poster title: Characterization of Polyfunctional Oligomers from Pyruvic Acid Photolysis in Water San Francisco, CA, December 2008.
  2. XV International Conference on the Origin of Life (ISSOL). Talk title: Oxaloacetate-to-Malate Conversion by Mineral Photoelectrochemistry: Implication for the Viability of the Reductive Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle in Prebiotic Chemistry. Florence, Italy, August 2008.
  3. MIT Chemical Oceanography and Biogeochemistry Seminar. Talk title: Oxaloacetate-to-Malate Converstion by Mineral Photoelectrochemistry and Implications for the Viability of the Reductive Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle in Prebiotic Chemistry. Cambridge, MA, May 2008.
  4. European Geosciences Union (EGU) Meeting. Talk title:Photochemical Cycling of Humic-Like Substances in Haze Aerosol. Vienna, Austria, April 2008.
  5. American Physical Society (APS) Meeting. Poster title: Chromism of Model Organic Aerosol. New Orleans, LA, March 2008.
  6. Harvard Origins of Life Initiative Meeting. Talk title: Nonenzymatic Photoelectrochemical Reverse Krebs Cycle. Cambridge, MA, March 2008.
  7. Gordon Research Conference (GRC): Origin of Life. Poster title: The Viability of the Nonenzymatic Photoelectrochemical Reverse Krebs Cycle. Ventura, CA, January 2008.
  8. American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting. Poster title: Photochemical Cycling of Humic-Like Substances in Atmospheric AerosolsSan Francisco, CA, December 2007.
  9. EGU Meeting. Talk title: In Situ Production of HULIS in Atmospheric Aerosol from the Solar Photolysis of Small Molecular Weight Dicarbonyls. Vienna, Austria, April 2007.

Award:

  1. Title: The Viability of the Photoelectrochemical Reductive Citric Acid Cycle, best poster award by a young scientist in the Gordon Research Conference: Origin of Life (2008), held in Ventura, California. Authors: Marcelo I. Guzman and Scot T. Martin.

Nicholas Tosca (Organismic and Evolutionary Biology)

Website:

http://nick.tosca.googlepages.com/

Publications:

  1. Tosca, N.J and McLennan, S.M. (in press) Experimental constraints on the evaporation of partially oxidized acid-sulfate waters at the martian surface. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2008.11.015.
  2. Tosca, N.J. Knoll, A.H., McLennan, S.M. (2008) Water activity and the challenge for life on early Mars, Science, 320, 1204, doi: 10.1126/science.1155432.
  3. Tosca, N.J. Milliken, R.E., Michel, F.M. (2008) Smectite formation on early Mars: Experimental constraints. In Workshop on Martian Phyllosilicates: Recorders of Aqueous Processes?, Abstract #7030, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston (CD-ROM).
  4. Tosca, N.J., Milliken, R.E., Wyatt, M.B. (2008) An experimental approach to clay mineral formation on Mars. Geochimica Cosmochimica Acta, 72, 12, Supp. 1, A952.
  5. Tosca, N.J., Milliken, R.E., Wyatt, M.B., McLennan, S.M. (2008) Clay minerals and poorly crystalline silicates: Unraveling paleo-acidity at the martian surface. In Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIX, Abstract #1745, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston (CD-ROM).
  6. Tosca, N.J., McLennan, S.M., Dyar, M.D., Sklute, E.C., Michel, F.M. (2008) Fe-oxidation processes at Meridiani Planum and implications for secondary Fe-mineralogy on Mars. Journal of Geophysical Research - Planets. 113, E05005, doi: 10.1029/2007JE003019
  7. Knoll, A.H., Jolliff, B.L., Farrand, W.H., Bell, J.F., Clark, B.C., Gellert, R., Golombek, M.P., Grotzinger, J.P., Herkenhoff, K.E., Johnson, J.R., McLennan, S.M., Morris, R.V., Squyres, S.W., Sullivan, R., Tosca, N.J., Yen, A.S., Learner, Z. (2008) Late diagenetic veneers, rinds, and fracture fill at Meridiani Planum, Mars. Journal of Geophysical Research – Planets. doi: 10.1029/2007JE002949
  8. McCubbin, F.M., Tosca, N.J., Smirnov, A., Nekvasil, H., Fries, M., Steele, A. (2008) Jarosite in a clinopyroxene-hosted melt inclusion from martian meteorite MIL 03346: Evidence for hydrothermal formation by sulfide oxidation. In Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIX, Abstract #1982, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston (CD-ROM).  
  9. Beavon, L.J., McLennan, S.M., Lindsley, D.H., Tosca, N.J. (2008) Experimental constraints on trace element mobility in martian basalt. In Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIX, Abstract #1369, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston (CD-ROM).
  10. Xu, W., Tosca, N.J., McLennan, S.M., Parise, J.B., (2008) Relative-humidity produced production of ferricopiapite and rhomboclase from ferric sulfate anhydrate: X-ray diffraction studies under controlled conditions. In Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIX, Abstract #1607, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston (CD-ROM).
  11. Hahn. B.C., McLennan, S.M., Tosca, N.J., Reeder, R.J. (2008) Experimental constraints on trace element behavior in martian evaporite minerals. In Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIX, Abstract #1845, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston (CD-ROM).
  12. Nekvasil, H., McCubbin, F.M., Tosca, N.J., Smirnov, A. (2008) Hydrothermal activity on Mars: Can magmatic waters play a viable role? In Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIX, Abstract #1828, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston (CD-ROM).
  13. Tosca, N.J., Johnston, D.T., Mushegian, A., Rothman, D.H., Knoll, A.H. (2008) Organic carbon burial and clay mineralogy in Proterozoic basins, EOS Trans. AGU, Fall Meeting Supplement, Abstract PP29-1256.

Presentations:

  1. Tosca, N.J. (2008) "Mineralogical constraints on the habitability of the ancient martian surface", Lunar and Planetary Seminar Series, Houston, TX
  2. Tosca, N.J. (2008) "Habitability of saline environments on Mars", Third MSL Site Selection Workshop, Monrovia, CA

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