Ramanarayanan Krishnamurthy

Ramanarayanan Krishnamurthy is a Professor of Chemistry at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), Department of Chemistry. His research focuses on prebiotic chemistry, origins of life, and synthetic biology, particularly exploring the emergence of informational polymers and protocellular systems. He has held academic roles since 1992, including leadership in astrobiology initiatives like the Simons Collaboration on the Origins of Life and the PCE3 consortium (NASA-funded).

• Education: PhD in Chemistry (Ohio State University, 1992), M.S. (Indian Institute of Technology, 1986), B.S. (Vivekananda College, 1984)
• Affiliations: Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology (TSRI), Center for Chemical Evolution (Georgia Tech)

Research Interests: Experimental approaches to origins of life, including prebiotic synthesis of nucleic acids, amino acids, and metabolic pathways. Key areas include protometabolic pathways, cyclophospholipid vesicles as protocells, and diamidophosphate-driven phosphorylation. His work bridges synthetic chemistry with astrobiology, aiming to explain life’s transition from abiotic chemistry.

Articles Trends: Recent studies emphasize prebiotic phosphorylation mechanisms, protocellular models, and the role of cyanide in reducing glyoxylate pathways. He explores how abiotic reactions could lead to early metabolic networks and informational polymers.

• Awards: ISSOL Fellow (2011), ISSOL Council Member (2014–2017)

Grants & Advising: Active in funding initiatives like the Simons Collaboration. Mentors students in astrobiology and synthetic biology through programs like MySci@Scripps and TSRI summer internships.

Labs/Teams: Leads the Krishnamurthy Lab at TSRI, focusing on experimental prebiotic chemistry and protocell research. Collaborates with institutions like LMU Munich and NASA Astrobiology Program networks.