People

People of the UK Centre for Astrobiology

UK Centre for Astrobiology Co-Directors

Charles Cockell (School of Physics and Astronomy)

Centre Co-Director

Homepage: [link]

Research Area: Life in extreme environments

email: c.s.cockell [at] ed.ac.uk

Sean McMahon (School of Physics and Astronomy/School of GeoSciences)

Centre Co-Director

Homepage: [link]

Research Area:  Planetary Palaeobiology Group

email: sean.mcmahon [at] ed.ac.uk

Rosa Santomartino (School of Physics and Astronomy/School of Biological Sciences)

Centre Co-Director

Homepage: [link]

Research Area: Space microbiology and biotechnology

email: rosa.santomartino [at] ed.ac.uk

Postdoctoral scientists

Corentin Loron (School of Physics and Astronomy) 

Royal Society Newton International Fellow Research Area: Planetary Palaeobiology

Mariangela Bonavita  (School of Physics and Astronomy)

Senior Researcher Research Area: Exoplanet research

Stewart Gault  (School of Physics and Astronomy)

Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Postdoctoral Research Associate

Postdoctoral Research Associate Research Area: Proteins in extreme/extraterrestrial conditions

Pamela Knoll (School of Physics and Astronomy) 

Postdoctoral Fellow Research Area: Planetary Palaeobiology

Niall Rodgers (School of Physics and Astronomy) 

Postdoctoral Fellow Research Area: Planetary Palaeobiology

Postgraduate students

Fiona Bunn (School of Biological Sciences)

Research area: bioleaching, biomining

Elle Bethune (School of Physics and Astronomy)

Research area: anaerobic microbiology

Edwin Rodriguez Dzul (School of Physics and Astronomy)

Research area: palaeobiology

Beilei Hua (School of Physics and Astronomy)

Research area: palaeobiology

Mia Frothingham (School of Physics and Astronomy)

Research area: exoplanet biosignatures, spectroscopy

Tanja Holc (School of Physics and Astronomy — IfA)

Research area: exoplanet biosignatures, spectroscopy

Mylaine Holin (School of Physics and Astronomy)

Research area: solar system organic matter

Lab Management

Nim Felton, Senior Astrobiology Technician (School of Physics and Astronomy)

Associated Academic Staff

Beth Biller (School of Physics and Astronomy)

Research Area: Exoplanet detection

Geoff Bromiley (School of Geosciences)

Research Area: Planetary interiors/Materials under extreme conditions

Ian Butler (School of Geosciences)

Research Area: Mineral formation, aqueous geochemistry, stable isotope geochemistry and the kinetics and mechanisms of geochemical processes

Ewen Campbell (School of Chemistry) 

Research Area: Astrochemistry

Valentina Erastova (School of Chemistry)

Research Area: Origin of Life, Clay mineral chemistry

Javier Martin-Torres Chaired Professor, University of Aberdeen

Visiting Fellow, University of Edinburgh

Research Area: Atmospheric physics

Paul Palmer  (School of Geosciences)

Research Area: Climate, atmospheric modeling

Simon Parsons (School of Chemistry)

Research area: Effects of pressure on molecular compounds

Ken Rice (School of Physics and Astronomy)

Research Area: Planetary discs

Colin Snodgrass (School of Physics and Astronomy)

Research Area: Comets and asteroids

Kristina Tamane (School of Geosciences)

Space Business Development Executive

Ian Underwood (School of Engineering)

Integrated nano- and micro-systems

Matjaz Vidmar(School of Engineering)

Research Area: Technoscientific Culture and Space Exploration