Research Team

Dmitry Semenov is an astrochemistry expert at MPIA who is working mainly
on unraveling chemistry of planet formation. He has developed a number 
robust chemical modeling tools such as ALCHEMIC and MUSCLE to fit 
observations of molecular lines. Dmitry uses world-leading observational facilities 
such as NOEMA and ALMA to peer into rich chemistry of protoplanetary disks.
Last but not least, he is also interested in linking the astrophysical
knowledge with the origin of life studies.

Tushar Suhasaria is a laboratory astrochemist with an interest in studying the synthesis of complex organic molecules of prebiotic significance. He is developing an experimental setup at the origin of life laboratory where he can use different light based approaches to trigger chemical reactions from astrophysically relevant mixed ices. The reaction products will be identified in situ, at low temperature, by a series of lasers and spectroscopic techniques and also ex situ, after warming up to room temperature, by wet chemical approach.

Klaus is working together with Thomas Henning and Dmitry Semenov on understanding the formation of prebiotic molecules. By trying to understand how these molecules could have formed in outer space and on the Hadean Earth, they hope to reveal parts of the processes involved in the origin of life. Klaus developed a complex simulation coupling up-to-date thermodynamic with -chemical models to understand the formation of nucleobases and the sugar ribose, crucial ingredients of the RNA world, inside the parent body planetesimals of carbonaceous chondrites. He aims to understand the complex reaction network producing ribose and other sugars in even deeper detail by examining the process of autocatalysis in this context with mathematical and numerical methods.