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AstroBioChemistry Lab

@astrobiochemlab.bsky.social

13 followers 9 following 67 posts

AstroBioChemistry Lab based in UTRGV https://eloicamprubi.com https://linktr.ee/AstrobiochemistryLab (This is a student managed account)

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AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · Jan 14

Hello and welcome to the AstroBioChemistry lab Bluesky. This is a UTRGV student-managed account under our amazing PI, Dr. Eloi Camprubi. We are excited to have an outlet where we can showcase our incredible lab members and their current achievements.
#UTRGV
@Eloi_CC (on X)
#astrobiology

Lab picture featuring (from left to right): Ilankuzhali Elavarasan, Nolan Salinas, Dulce Castillo, Myrine Barrerio-Areval, Leah Adame, Kiara Garduno Perez, Mauricio Berazaluce-Lopez, Andrea Aldaba, Dr. Eloi Camprubi-Casas, Gabriella Garcia, Kaeyln Clama, Mikaela Johnson, David Segovia

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · 8h

Finishing up with:
Nolan Salinas & Shelby Lopez with: "Creation and Characterization of Vesicles: Insights to Prebiotic Chemistry"
&
Dulce Castillo with: "Europa-Analog Surface Maturation of Organics & Associated Analytical Methodology"

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · 8h

Continuing with:
Ilankuzhali Elavarasan with: "Layered Ice-Organic-Salt Interactions on Europa: Irradiation & Ice Simulation"
&
Andrea Aldaba with: "Europa-Analog Surface Maturation of Organics & Associated Analytical Methodology"

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · 8h

Continuing with:
Kaelyn Calma with: "Electrochemical Simulation of Alkaline Hydrothermal Vent CO2 Reduction with S-Nucleophiles"
&
Kiara Perez with: "Beneath the Red Surface: Functional Architecture of Gale Crater's Subsurface System"

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · 8h

In respective order:
Dr. Deepali Singh with: "Simulating Martian Surface Conditions to Study Geochemical Alteration of Biogenic Organics" & Mauricio Berazaluce with: "Development of Nanomaterial-based sensor for Lunar Regolith Dust Contamination"

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · 8h

This fall, the AstroBioChemistry lab showed up to the annual TAPS meeting at @UTSA in full force. 1 postdoc, 1 PhD, 4 Masters, and 3 undergrads presented posters this past Thursday and Friday. We greatly appreciate our gracious host Dr. Xinting Yu (@JonesKuma) for inviting us.

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · 21d

Our students took science on the road! 🚗💥 Two undergrads and one M.S. student spent two days at Baylor University for the Advanced Instrumentation Workshop. They learned glovebox synthesis of a Phosphorus (I) complex, UHPLC, GC, Raman, and more. Big experiments, bigger smiles!

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · 21d

@cosmic_buterfly
#JPL #NASA #UTRGV

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · 21d

Ilan’s research simulates Europa’s surface chemistry to probe biosignature preservation 🧪🪐. At JPL, she worked with cryogenic systems ❄️ + UV irradiation setups 🌌, integrating techniques that will strengthen ongoing experiments in our Europa simulation chamber
@UTRGV

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · 21d

Continuing our Summer internship highlights ☀️, we celebrate Ilan Elavarasan, recipient of NASA’s Early Career Collaboration Award 🚀! She spent 2 weeks at JPL w/ Dr. Edith Fayolle studying biosignature irradiation on Europa’s icy surface 🧊🧪—a step in the search for life!

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · 21d

Under the mentorship of Dr. Kyra Adams and Dr. Jessica Weber, they achieved full transport flow simulations and developed a 1D chemical model, now advancing toward a fully integrated 3D framework.

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · 21d

During the internship, Kiara built a coupled hydrogeochemical transport model for Gale Crater, Mars 🪐, developing it from the ground up using Earth-based frameworks and adapting them to Martian conditions through Curiosity rover data and Mars Science Laboratory publications.

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · 21d

We are proud to highlight, one of our former undergrads and now a master's student, Kiara Perez, for successfully completing their Summer 2025 internship at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory 🚀, earned through the RAISE seminar series program.#NASA #JPL #MarsScience #UTRGV

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · Sep 2

During her stay, she particularly enjoyed visiting the museum within the science building that was curated to take visitors on a journey from the origins of the universe through the history of life on Earth's fossils, to modern-day animal bones!

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · Sep 2

The first member of the week will be our Master student: Gabriella Garza. She spent two weeks at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, working in Dr. Jay Forsythe’s analytical lab to utilize MALDI-TOF for her nucleotide polymerization experiments!

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · Sep 2

🎉 Celebrating the start of the 2025 FALL semester 🍂, the ABC Lab would like to take the opportunity to share all the amazing science 🧪✨ and adventures 🌍✈️ our members had this past Summer ☀️🌸.

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · Aug 16

Outside the lab, Kaelyn embraced Maine’s beauty 🌸 From blooming flowers to coastal views & skies like paintings 🎨, she found the perfect balance of intense research & peaceful exploration. We’re so proud of her work ! 🌅

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · Aug 16

Her experiments simulated hydrothermal vents 🌋—testing how reactive gases & mineral surfaces could have sparked key chemistry before life began. Watching her work was inspiring; every run brought us closer to understanding life’s first chemical steps. #OriginsOfLife

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · Aug 16

This summer, Kaelyn took her research to Maine! 🌊 In the lab, she explored how life’s building blocks might have formed on early Earth—using CO₂ + H₂ gas 🎈, s-nucleophiles & mineral catalysts to study thioester formation, a step toward prebiotic fatty acid synthesis. 🧪

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · Jul 22

When Nolan isn’t in the lab, you can find him either spending time with his besties or with his family! Nothing makes him happier than being surrounded by the people he loves ❤

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · Jul 22

🧪Nolan joined the ABC Lab in Fall ‘24 to study nucleotide polymerization on FeS via pH gradients—mimicking Hadean vents. 🌋 He’s analyzed honey 🍯 for anticancer compounds w/ UTRGV Med, and now helps quantify vesicle phospholipids 🧬 via LC-MS to probe prebiotic heredity!

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AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · Jul 22

Meet Nolan Salinas!👨‍🔬 He’s a senior undergraduate who just finished his first year of college at UTRGV. 📚 Nolan received an Associate’s degree in Chemistry from South Texas College before getting his diploma from Edinburg North High School last year!

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · Jul 1

We’ll also hear from Myrine Barreiro-Arevalo, 4th-yr PhD candidate @UTRGV, modeling heredity in protocells to uncover evolution before genes! 🧬🔁
Her talk: “Evolution before Genes: Modeling Heredity in Vesicle Systems” dives into the roots of biological inheritance!🧫

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · Jul 1

Dr. Eloi Camprubi (@UTRGV) will present “Self-Oxidation of the Atmospheres of Rocky Planets with Implications for the Origin of Life” 🔥🌍 His work explores how planetary oxidation shapes habitability + helps uncover the conditions life needs to arise. Don’t miss it! 🧪

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · Jul 1

t.co/K3RZ7tc2g9

https://cuboulder.zoom.us/j/96506145424#success

t.co

AstroBioChemistry Lab @astrobiochemlab.bsky.social · Jul 1

🚨Join us for Ep. 2 of the 2025 LIFE NASA RCN Seminar Series!🪐
🗓️ July 8 | 8am PDT / 11am EDT
🎙️Featuring Dr. Eloi Camprubi & PhD candidate Myrine Barreiro-Arevalo from UTRGV!
🧬 Cutting-edge insights on life’s origins await.
🔗Meeting link below! #Astrobiology #NASA