Zoe Todd

Zoe Todd serves as an Assistant Professor in the departments of Chemistry and Astronomy at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her work bridges astronomical and planetary environments with experimental prebiotic chemistry to investigate the pathways leading to the emergence of life on Earth and its potential existence elsewhere in the universe.

Research interests include:

• Tracing the chemical evolution from astronomical feedstock to self-replicating protocells
• Studying favorable planetary conditions for prebiotic chemistry
• Interdisciplinary approaches integrating astronomy, chemistry, and biochemistry

Her laboratory experiments aim to validate the plausibility of life’s origins under extraterrestrial conditions, focusing on the synthesis of ribonucleotides, amino acids, and alternative building blocks critical for protocell development.