Interaction and reactivity of biomolecules on mineral surfaces characterized by photoemission spectroscopy

Supervisor: Dra. Eva Mateo Martí

Santos Gálvez Martínez holds a degree in Physics by Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, specialized in Crystallography and Crystallization by Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo. His research experience includes field-emission properties of carbon nanotubes, hydrothermal synthesis of metal-organic frameworks and crystallographic characterization of thin films. In addition he is co-author of ten research papers and has experience in synchrotron radiation facilities: ESRF (France) and ALBA (Spain).

Currently, he is PhD student at Centro de Astrobiologia (CSIC-INTA) under the PhD Thesis entitle: “Interaction and reactivity of biomolecules on mineral surfaces characterized by photoemission spectroscopy”. These studies are related to understand how different factors (atmospheric composition, incident radiation, crystalline surface order) modify the catalytic properties of pyrite surface (FeS2), favoring or inhibiting the adsorption and reactivity of organic molecules such as amino acids on its surface. These results provide new insights on prebiotic chemistry and the origin of life on Earth.

ORCID: 0000-0002-6989-4386