CCI: Center for Chemical Evolution

化学进化中心(CCE)协调和支持高度合作的研究，以了解从复杂的化学混合物中自发出现蛋白质和DNA等功能聚合物所需的化学。一个跨学科的研究团队将通过三管齐下的策略应对这一重大挑战：1)构建潜在的益生菌分子的工作模型化学库存，并了解它们的反应活性；2)探索可能促进益生菌世界中聚合的替代反应和溶剂条件；以及3)合成和表征假定的原生物聚合物，以此来发现哪些构建块和聚合物结构可能先于当今生活中发现的那些构建块和聚合物结构。当在一个中心结合起来时，这些主题的协同作用将加速我们对物质的紧急性质的理解--这些性质是化学进化的基础，并为生物学的起源提供基础。了解功能聚合物的自发组装将导致新的结构、反应和组装，其应用领域涵盖有机、聚合物、超分子和仿生化学；新的分析工具和方法，用于处理复杂的化学混合物；以及对物质和反应性的洞察，这些将影响纯化学和应用化学的领域。化学进化实验具有广泛而独特的能力，使学生和普通公众兴奋地了解化学的力量，看到我们遥远的过去。该中心将教育不同层次的学生群体。研究生和博士后研究员将有机会在教学和公共交流方面获得专业发展机会。该中心将通过与具体的本科院校合作，并通过直接和视频会议互动提供访问中心研究的途径，增加代表不足群体的参与。中心研究人员将与高中教师和主要是本科院校的教职员工合作，开发和分发化学进化模块，以便纳入入门和有机化学课程。该中心将对化学和生物进化的误解视为一个重要的公共宣传机会，并确定了独特的教育和公共场所，以促进科学素养和从事化学科学事业的热情。中心的研究人员和学生将通过与创作新的以科学为灵感的表演和视觉艺术作品的艺术家合作，推动以“科学咖啡馆S”的形式公开进行非正式演讲，以及为关于化学和进化教育的国家网站和教育中心做出贡献，对公众对化学的认知产生重大影响。将与私营部门合作，广泛传播新的分析工具、环境友好的溶剂系统和仿生紧急聚合物的开发。化学进化中心由美国国家科学基金会化学创新中心计划和NASA天体生物学计划联合资助。

The Center for Chemical Evolution (CCE) coordinates and supports the highly collaborative research necessary to understand the chemistry required for the spontaneous emergence of functional polymers, such as proteins and DNA, from complex chemical mixtures. An interdisciplinary team of researchers will tackle this grand challenge using a three-pronged strategy: 1) Construct a working model chemical inventory of potentially prebiotic molecules and understand their reactivity; 2) Explore alternative reactions and solvent conditions that could have facilitated polymerization in the prebiotic world; and 3) Synthesize and characterize putative proto-biopolymers as a means to discover which building blocks and polymer architectures might have preceded those found in life today. When combined in one Center, synergy across these themes will accelerate our understanding of the emergent properties of matter -- properties that underpin chemical evolution and provide the foundations for the origins of biology. Understanding the spontaneous assembly of functional polymers will lead to new structures, reactions, and assemblies with applications that span the fields of organic, polymer, supramolecular, and biomimetic chemistry; new analytical tools and approaches for dealing with complex chemical mixtures; and an insight into matter and reactivity that will impact areas of both pure and applied chemistry.Chemical evolution experiments have a broad and unique ability to excite students and the general public about the power of chemistry to see into our distant past. The Center will educate a diverse group of students at all levels. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows will have access to professional development opportunities in teaching and public communication. The Center will increase participation of underrepresented groups by partnering with specific undergraduate institutions and by providing access to Center research through both direct and videoconference interactions. Center researchers will collaborate with high school teachers and faculty at primarily undergraduate institutions to develop and distribute chemical evolution modules for incorporation into introductory and organic chemistry courses. The Center sees the misconceptions of chemical and biological evolution as a critical public outreach opportunity, and it has identified unique educational and public venues to promote science literacy and enthusiasm for pursuing careers in the chemical sciences. Center researchers and students will make major impacts on the public's perception of chemistry by working with artists who are creating new science-inspired performing and visual works of art, promoting publicly accessible informal talks in the form of "Science Cafés," and contributing to national websites and education centers on chemical and evolution education. The development of new analytical tools, environmentally benign solvent systems, and biomimetic emergent polymers will be widely disseminated in partnership with the private sector. The Center for Chemical Evolution is jointly funded by the NSF Centers for Chemical Innovation Program and the NASA Astrobiology Program.