Research lines – CAB

Research lines

Centro de Astrobiología is organised into several research groups working on key aspects of the chain of events that must have led from the Big Bang to the origin, evolution and dispersal of life.

Microbial Biodiversity

Study of the biodiversity, ecology, evolution and molecular mechanisms of adaptation of microorganisms and microbial populations in environments of astrobiological interest.

Biomolecules in Planetary Exploration

Study of biological material and information in the environment, preservation and interaction with the physical environment, identification of molecular biomarkers and development of methodologies for their detection.

Experimental Evolution Studies with Viruses and Microorganisms

Study of the dynamics and molecular basis of biological adaptation through controlled laboratory experiments with viruses and bacteria.

Molecular Evolution, RNA World and Biosensors

This research group studies interrelated aspects of the origin and early evolution of life, the genetics of viruses with RNA genomes, the in vitro evolution of nucleic acids and the development of biosensors.

Formation and Evolution of Stars, Brown Dwarfs and Planets

Activities related to the observation, study and modelling of the various phases and processes in the formation and evolution of stars, brown dwarfs and extrasolar planets. Characterisation of the physical properties of objects.

Galaxy Formation and Evolution

This group specialises in the study of galaxies of different types observed throughout the history of the Universe. These studies are based on data obtained with ground and space telescopes, optimised in X-ray, optical, infrared and millimetre. The group is also heavily involved in technological projects of astronomical instrumentation both in space and on the ground.

Planetary Geology and Atmospheres

This group studies planetary objects in the Universe that have solid surfaces, including the Earth. In particular, it investigates the origin, composition, structure, and the processes and agents by which planets, satellites, comets, asteroids and meteorites evolve from their formation. These aspects are key to determining the habitability of planetary environments.

Habitability and Extreme Environments

The group's objectives focus on the study of life, its limits and the potential for habitability of places under extreme conditions, including the study of the potential for habitability and possible presence of life outside the planet Earth.

Space Instrumentation

Group dedicated to the development of space instrumentation for planetary exploration and astrophysics, as well as the development of planetary environment simulation chambers and nanotechnology.

Molecular Mechanisms of Biological Adaptation

This research group focuses on the study of molecular strategies and metabolic functions of adaptation of microorganisms to extreme conditions, through metagenomics and metatranscriptomics. In addition, they also have special interest in the study of the rhizosphere of plants from extreme environments, the multicellularity and social behavior in Bacillus subtilis and the study of the transfer of genetic material in bacterial populations through extracellular DNA.

Interstellar and circumstellar medium

Astronomical observation, computational modelling and experimental simulation of the physics and chemistry of the interstellar and circumstellar medium. Development of superconducting detectors, tools for the analysis of spectroscopic data cubes and molecular spectroscopy catalogues for the detection of new chemical species in space.

Virtual Observatory: Scientific exploitation of astronomical archives

The Centro de Astrobiología's Virtual Observatory Group has a long experience in the development and exploitation of astronomical archives. Already in 1998 the former LAEFF was selected to host INES, the IUE satellite data archiving and distribution system.

Prebiotic Chemistry and Physics of Complex Systems

Study of critical aspects prior to the origin of life such as the origin of biological symmetry, first catalytic polymers or self-organisation on surfaces. In this group we focus on prebiotic chemistry, which comprises all the natural physico-chemical processes that take place within a planetary environment, from its formation until the emergence of the first self-replicating system in which Darwinian selection processes began to occur.