Chemistry plays a central role towards understanding the origins of life on Earth. The Fahrenbach group seeks to develop experimental and theoretical models for understanding the potential chemistry that may have occurred on the Earth soon after its formation.

Accomplishing this task requires a team with members who possess diverse expertise in synthetic organic, physical, analytical and biochemistries, aided by close collaborations with geo- and theoretical chemists.

We are particularly interested in developing and understanding the chemical evolution of reaction networks that start from humble beginnings (i.e., small molecules thought to be available on the early Earth) and which yield complex mixtures that contain molecules of interest, such as amino acids, ribonucleotides and their precursors. 

From these humble beginnings, the further exploration of reaction network mechanisms for RNA and peptide polymerization can allow us to understand how Darwinian evolution may have come to take over chemical evolution.