The origin of life: from Darwin to the metabolome of primoridial soup

22 Oct 2009

Thursday 22 October

Free public lecture followed by open discussion and Q&A session.

Speaker: Professor David Penny, Theoretical Biologist, Alan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Venue: Sunderland Lecture Theatre, Ground Floor, Medical Building corner of Grattan Street & Royal Parade, The University of Melbourne (use main entry opposite Berkeley St)

Registration essential, seating strictly limited: Visit pmv.eventbrite.com or phone 03 9345 4090

Lecture outline:
In 1872, Charles Darwin suggested that life may have originated in a "warm little pond, with all sorts of ammonia and phosphoric salts, lights, heat, electricity etc present, so that a protein compound was chemically formed ready to undergo still more complex changes". Others subsequently expanded these ideas into what is known as the 'primordial soup theory'. Today scientists have exquisite power to characterise the mixtures of small molecules (i.e. 'metabolome') in such biological soups using technological advances from the fields of metabolomics and proteomics, amongst others. Professor David Penny, a world-leading theorist who has contributed widely to evolutionary biology, will describe how Darwin's ideas about the origin of life have since evolved, then predict how current understanding of this fundamental question may be advanced by new biomolecular technologies.Read more . Download flyer (pdf, 1.99 Mb)

Open discussion, Q&A session:
After the lecture, join in with a friendly panel of "mad scientists" for further discussion about topics of general interest (e.g. could it happen again, and indeed, are we alone?) Panelists (from The University of Melbourne) are Astronomer - Prof Rachel Webster, Geologist - Prof Mike Sandiford, Biological chemist - Dr Spencer Williams, Geneticist - A/Prof Dawn Gleeson, Metabolomist - Prof Tony Bacic. Chairman: A/Prof Andrew Heggie, Melbourne Research Unit for Facial Disorders, Royal Children's Hospital.

Hosted and sponsored by Proteomics & Metabolomics Victoria (PMV), Metabolomics Australia, and Melbourne Research Unit for Facial Disorders, in conjunction with The University of Melbourne.

Adjunct lecture:
Prof Penny will also be presenting a more technical lecture entitled Questions for the Origin of Life: Why RNA, Why four? Friday 23 October 1.00 to 2.00pm in the Bio21 Institute Auditorium. Read more.