"I don't know much about "dark" matter, but does it give new hopes for astrobiology?"
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Jason Dworkin
Email Jason.P.Dworkin@nasa.gov Institution NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Telephone 301-286-8631 Address
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USA Current NAI Teams NASA Ames Research Center (CAN5)
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (CAN5) Past NAI Teams NASA Ames Research Center (CAN1, CAN3)
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (CAN3)
University of Arizona (CAN3)About
Jason Dworkin is responsible for the research direction of the Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory. Since arriving at Goddard in 2002 he has worked to purchase and maintain the equipment in the lab and ensure that all who work there maximize their research efforts while maintaining relevance to Astrobiology and NASA.
He first formally pursued his interest in the origin of life at Mirabeau B. Lamar High School (Houston, TX) when in the course of a science fair project (under the influence of PBS’s NOVA) he began work at the University of Houston in the Department of Biochemical and Biophysical Sciences & Biology under Professor John Oró. He received his A.B. degree with distinction in 1991 in biochemistry from Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA. His research there was under the guidance of Professor Chris Craney on the cryokinetics of human erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. He attended graduate school at the University of California, San Diego (San Diego, CA) in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the laboratory of Professor Stanley Miller. He received his Ph.D. in 1997 with the dissertation “Alternatives to Uracil in the Pre-RNA World.” He previoulsy was a research scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center through a cooperative agreement with the SETI Institute, where he worked in the Astrochemistry Laboratory within the Ames NAI Node.
Honors
2007: Goddard Exceptional Achievement Award
2007: Goddard IRAD Innovator of the Year Award (Team), VAPoR
2007: Goddard Center Director's Team Recognition Award, OSIRIS
2007: Distinguished Performance Award, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
2004, 2005, 2006: Performance Award, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
2004: National Academy of Sciences, Beckman Frontiers of Science Symposium Participant
2002: NASA Group Achievement Award
1998-2002, 2003- : Member NASA Astrobiology Institute
1996-1997: NSCORT Exobiology Adjunct Fellow
1992-1996: NSCORT Exobiology Pre-doctoral Fellow
1991: Merck Award for Best Graduating Biochemistry Major, Occidental CollegePublications
Pasek, M.A., Dworkin, J.P. & Lauretta, D.S. (2007). A Radical Pathway for Organic Phosphorylation During Schreibersite Corrosion with Implications for the Origin of Life. Geochim. et Cosmochim. Acta(71):1721-1736.Martins, Z., Hofmann, B.A., Gnos, E., Greenwood, R.C., Verchovsky, A., Franchi, I.A., Jull, A.J.T., Botta, O., Glavin, D.P., Dworkin, J.P. & Ehrenfreund, P. (2007). Amino acid composition, petrology, geochemistry, 14C terrestrial age and oxygen isotopes of the Shishr 033 CR chondrite. Met. Planet. Sci(41):1581-1596.Martins, Z., Botta, O., Fogel, M.L., A., S.M., Glavin, D.P., Watson, J.S., Dworkin, J.P., Schwartz, A.W. & Ehrenfreund, P. (2008). Extraterrestrial nucleobases in the Murchison meteorite. Earth Planet. Sci. Let.(270):130-136.Johnson, A., Cleaves, H.J., Dworkin, J.P., Glavin, D.P., Lazcano, A. & Bada, J.L. (In Press). A New Look at the Miller "Volcanic" Spark Discharge Apparatus. Science.Glavin, D.P., Dworkin, J.P. & Sandford, S.A. (2008). Detection of cometary amines in samples returned by Stardust. Met. Planet. Sci.(43):399-413.Ertem, G., Snellinger-O'Brien, A.M., Ertem, M.C., Rogoff, D.A., Dworkin, J.P., Johnson, M.V. & Hazen, R.M. (2008). Abiotic formation of RNA-like oligomers by montmorillonite catalysis: part II. Int. J. Astrobio(7):1-7.Ertem, G., Hazen, R.M. & Dworkin, J.P. (2007). Sequence Analysis of Hetero-Trimer Fractions Formed by Montmorillonite Catalysis in the Reaction of Binary Monomer Mixtures. Astrobiology(7):715-722.Elsila, J., Dworkin, J.P., Bernstein, M.P., Martin, M.P. & Sandford, S.A. (2007). Mechanisms of Amino Acid Formation in Interstellar Ice Analogs. Astrophys. J.(66):911-918.Botta, O., Martins, Z., Emmenegger, C., Dworkin, J.P., Glavin, D.P., Harvey, R.P., Zenobi, R., Bada, J.L. & Ehrenfreund, P. (In Press). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and amino acids in meteorites and ice samples from La Paz icefield. Antarctica. Met. Planet. Sci..Ashbourn, S.F.M., Elsila, J.E., Dworkin, J.P., Bernstein, M.P., Sandford, S.A. & Allamandola, L.J. (2007). Ultraviolet Photolysis of Anthracene in H2O Interstellar Ice Analogs: Potential Connection to Meteoritic Organics. Met. Planet. Sci(42):2035-2041.Snellinger-O'Brien, A.M., Ertem, M.C., Rogoff, D.A., Dworkin, J.P., Johnston, M.V. & Hazen, R.M. (2008). Abiotic formation of RNA-like oligomers by montmorillonite catalysis: part II. International Journal of Astrobiology, 7:1-7.Glavin, D.P., Dworkin, J.P. & Sandford, S.A. (2008). Detection of Cometary Amines in Samples Returned by Stardust. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 43:399-413.Glavin, D.P., Dworkin, J.P. & Sandford, S.A. (2007). A Search for Cometary Amines in Samples Returned by Stardust. (abstract). Bioastronomy 2007 Meeting, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 15-20 July 2007. Astrobiology, 7:500.Glavin, D., Brinckerhoff, W., Dworkin, J., Eigenbrode, J., Franz, H., Mahaffy, P., Stern, J., Allamandola, L., Blake, D., Sandford, S., Amashukeli, X., Fisher, A., Grunthaner, F., Fries, M., Steele, A., Aubrey, A., Bada, J., Giselle, T., Mathies, R., Bish, D., Chipera, S. & Corrigan, C. (2008). Astrobiology Sample Analysis Program (ASAP) for Advanced Life Detection Instrumentation Development and Calibration. (abstract). Astrobiology Science Conference 2008, Santa Clara, CA, 15-17 April 2008. Astrobiology, 8:297.Elsila, J.E., Dworkin, J.P., Bernstein, M.P., Martin, M.P. & Sandford, S.A. (2008). Mechanisms of Amino Acid Formation in Interstellar Ice Analogs. (abstract 16-11-O). Astrobiology Science Conference 2008, Santa Clara, CA, 15-17 April 2008. Astrobiology, 8:364.Ashbourn, S.F.M., Elsila, J., Dworkin, J.P., Bernstein, M.P., Sandford, S.A. & Allamandola, L.J. (2007). Ultraviolet Photolysis of Anthracene in H2O Interstellar Ice Analogs: Potential Connection to Meteoritic Organics. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 42:2035-2041.Pasek, M.A., Dworkin, J.P. & Lauretta, D.S. (2007). A Radical Pathway for Organic Phosphorylation During Schreibersite Corrosion with Implications for the Origin of Life. Geochim. et Cosmochim. Acta, 71:1721-1736.Glavin, D.P., Dworkin, J.P., Aubrey, A., Botta, O., Doty III, J.H., Martins, Z. & Bada, J.L. (2006). Amino acid analyses of Antarctic CM2 meteorites using liquid chromatography-time of flight-mass spectrometry. Met. Planet. Sci., 41:889-902.Elsila, J.E., Dworkin, J.P., Bernstein, M.P., Martin, M.P. & Sandford, S.A. (2007). Mechanisms of Amino Acid Formation in Interstellar Ice Analogs. Astrophys. J., 66:911-918.Hudson, R.L., Moore, M.H., Dworkin, J.P., Martin, M.P. & Pozun, Z.(.i. (Submitted, 2007). Amino Acids from Ion-Irradiated Nitrile-Containing Ices. Astrobiology.Elsila, J.E., Dworkin, J.P., Bernstein, M.P., Martin, M.P. & Sandford, S.A. (2007). Mechanisms of Amino Acid Formation in Interstellar Ice Analogs. The Astrophysical Journal, 660(1):911-918.Ashbourn, F.M., Elsila, J.E., Dworkin, J.P., Bernstein, M.P., Sandford, S.A. & Allamandola, L.J. (In Press, 2007). Ultraviolet Photolysis of Anthracene in H2O Interstellar Ice Analogs: Potential Connection to Meteorite Organics. Meteoritics and Planetary Science.Eigenbrode, J., Dworkin, J.P., Fogel, M., Glavin, D.P., Mahaffy, P., Steele, A. & Summons, R.E. (2007). Recognizing life from a distance: Organic biosignatures of modern and ancient life [Abstract]. 7th International Conference on Mars. Pasadena, CA. Houston, TX: Lunar and Planetary Institute.Ertem, G., Hazen, R.M., Snellinger, A.M., Dworkin, J.P. & Johnston, M.V. (In Press, 2007). Sequence- and region-selective formation of RNA-like oligomers by montmorillonite catalysis. International Journal of Astrobiology.Sandford, S.A., Aléon, J., Alexander, C.M.O'D., Araki, T., Bajt, S., Baratta, G.A., Borg, J., Bradley, J.P., Brownlee, D.E., Brucato, J.R., Burchell, M.J., Busemann, H., Butterworth, A., Clemett, S.J., Cody, G., Colangeli, L., Cooper, G., D'Hendecourt, L., Djouadi, Z., Dworkin, J.P., Ferrini, G., Fleckenstein, H., Flynn, G.J., Franchi, I.A., Fries, M., Gilles, M.K., Glavin, D.P., Gounelle, M., Grossemy, F., Jacobsen, C., Keller, L.P., Kilcoyne, A.L.D., Leitner, J., Matrajt, G., Meibom, A., Mennella, V., Mostefaoui, S., Nittler, L.R., Palumbo, M.E., Papanastassiou, D.A., Robert, F., Rotundi, A., Snead, C.J., Spencer, M.K., Stadermann, F.J., Steele, A., Stephan, T., Tsou, P., Tyliszczak, T., Westphal, A.J., Wirick, S., Wopenka, B., Yabuta, H., Zare, R.N. & Zolensky, M.E. (2006). Organics captured from Comet 81P/Wild 2 by the Stardust spacecraft. Science, 314:1720-1724.Sandford, S.A., Aléon, J., Alexander, C.M.O'D., Araki, T., Bajt, S., Baratta, G.A., Borg, J., Bradley, J., Brownlee, D.E., Brucato, J.R., Burchell, M.J., Busemann, H., Butterworth, A., Clemett, S.J., Cody, G., Colangeli, L., Cooper, G., D'Hendecourt, L., Djouadi, Z., Dworkin, J.P., Ferrini, G., Fleckenstein, H., Flynn, G.F., Franchi, I.A., Fries, M., Gilles, M.K., Glavin, D.P., Gounelle, M., Grossemy, F., Jacobsen, C., Keller, L.P., Kilcoyne, A.L.D., Leitner, J., Matrajt, G., Meibom, A., Mennella, V., Mostefaoui, S., Nittler, L.R., Palumbo, M.E., Papanastassiou, D.A., Robert, F., Rotundi, A., Snead, C.J., Spencer, M.K., Steele, A., Stephan, T., Tsou, P., Tyliszczak, T., Westphal, A.J., Wirick, S., Wopenka, B., Yabuta, H., Zare, R.N. & Zolensky, M.E. (2007). Overview of the results of the organics PET study of the cometary samples returned from Comet Wild 2 by the Stardust mission [Abstract]. Lunar and Planetary Science, 38.Martins, Z., Botta, O., Fogel, M.L., Sephton, M.A., Glavin, D.P., Watson, J.S., Dworkin, J.P., Schwartz, A.W. & Ehrenfreund, P. (2006). Isotopic analysis of nucleobases in the Murchison meteorite [Abstract]. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 41 (Supplement):A114.Brownlee, D., Tsou, P., Aléon, J., Alexander, C.M.O'D., Araki, T., Bajt, S., Baratta, G.A., Bastien, R., Bland, P., Bleuet, P., Borg, J., Bradley, J.P., Brearley, A., Brenker, F., Brennan, S., Bridges, J.C., Browning, N.D., Brucato, J.R., Bullock, E., Burchell, M.J., Busemann, H., Butterworth, A., Chaussidon, M., Cheuvront, A., Chi, M.F., Cintala, M.J., Clark, B.C., Clemett, S.J., Cody, G., Colangeli, L., Cooper, G., Cordier, P., Daghlian, C., Dai, Z.R., D'Hendecourt, L., Djouadi, Z., Dominguez, G., Duxbury, T., Dworkin, J.P., Ebel, D.S., Economou, T.E., Fakra, S., Fairey, S.A.J., Fallon, S., Ferrini, G., Ferroir, T., Fleckenstein, H., Floss, C., Flynn, G., Franchi, I.A., Fries, M., Gainsforth, Z., Gallien, J.-P., Genge, M., Gilles, M.K., Gillet, P., Gilmour, J., Glavin, D.P., Gounelle, M., Grady, M.M., Graham, G.A., Grant, P.G., Green, S.F., Grossemy, F., Grossman, L., Grossman, J.N., Guan, Y., Hagiya, K., Harvey, R., Heck, P., Herzog, G.F., Hoppe, P., Hörz, F., Huth, J., Hutcheon, I.D., Ignatyev, K., Ishii, H., Ito, M., Jacob, D., Jacobsen, C., Jacobsen, S., Jones, S., Joswiak, D., Jurewicz, A., Kearsley, A.T., Keller, L.P., Khodja, H., Kilcoyne, A.L.D., Kissel, J., Krot, A., Langenhorst, F., Lanzirotti, A., Le, L., Leshin, L.A., Leitner, J., Lemelle, L., Leroux, H., Liu, M.-C., Luening, K., Lyon, I., MacPherson, G., Marcus, M.A., Marhas, K., Marty, B., Matrajt, G., McKeegan, K., Meibom, A., Mennella, V., Messenger, K., Messenger, S., Mikouchi, T., Mostefaoui, S., Nakamura, T., Nakano, T., Newville, M., Nittler, L.R., Ohnishi, I., Ohsumi, K., Okudaira, K., Papanastassiou, D.A., Palma, R., Palumbo, M.E., Pepin, R.O., Perkins, D., Perronnet, M., Pianetta, P., Rao, W., Rietmeijer, F.J.M., Robert, F., Rost, D., Rotundi, A., Ryan, R., Sandford, S.A., Schwandt, C.S., See, T.H., Schlutter, D., Sheffield-Parker, J., Simionovici, A., Simon, S., Sitnitsky, I., Snead, C.J., Spencer, M.K., Stadermann, F.J., Steele, A., Stephan, T., Stroud, R., Susini, J., Sutton, S.R., Suzuki, Y., Taheri, M., Taylor, S., Teslich, N., Tomeoka, K., Tomioka, N., Toppani, A., Trigo-Rodríguez, J.M., Troadec, D., Tsuchiyama, A., Tuzzolino, A.J., Tyliszczak, T., Uesugi, K., Velbel, M., Vellenga, J., Vicenzi, E., Vincze, L., Warren, J., Weber, I., Weisberg, M., Westphal, A.J., Wirick, S., Wooden, D., Wopenka, B., Wozniakiewicz, P., Wright, I., Yabuta, H., Yano, H., Young, E.D., Zare, R.N., Zega, T., Ziegler, K., Zimmerman, L., Zinner, E. & Zolensky, M. (2006). Comet 81P/Wild 2 under a microscope. Science, 314:1711-1716.Sandford, S.A., Aleon, J., Alexander, C.M.O., Butterworth, A.L., Clemett, S.J., Cody, G.D., Cooper, G., Dworkin, J.P., Flynn, G.J., Gilles, M.K., Glavin, D.P., Jacobsen, C., Matrajt, G., Robert, F., Spencer, M.K., Stephan, T., Westphal, A., Wirick, S. & Zare, R.N. (2006). The Preliminary Examination of Organics in the Returned Stardust Samples from Comet Wild 2 [Abstract]. 37th Annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. League City, Texas.Pasek, M.A., Dworkin, J.P. & Lauretta, D. (2006). Prebiotic Phosphorylation Through Phosphorus Radicals [Abstract]. Astrobiology, 6:231.Johnson, N.M., Martin, M.G., Dworkin, J.P. & Nuth III, J.A. (2006). Possible Pathway for Organic Synthesis and Implications for Protostellar Systems [Abstract]. Astrobiology, 6:138.Hudson, R.L., Moore, M.P., Dworkin, J.P., Martin, M.G. & Pozun, Z. (2006). Icy Prebiotic Chemistry of Nitriles: Identification of Complex Organic Products [Abstract]. Astrobiology, 6:135.Hazen, R., Snelling, A.M., Dworkin, J.P., Scott, J.H., Cody, G.D., Fogel, M.L., Johnson, M.V. & Ertem, G. (2006). MALDI-MS Analysis of Hetero-Trimer Fractions Formed by Montmorillonite Catalysis in the Reaction of Binary Monomer Mixtures [Abstract]. Astrobiology, 6:250-251..Glavin, D.P., Dworkin, J.P., Aubrey, A.D., Botta, O., Doty, J.H. & Bada, J.L. (2006). Amino Acid Analyses of the Antarctic CM2 Meteorites ALH 83100 and LEW 90500 Using Liquid Chromatography-Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry [Abstract]. 37th Annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. League City, Texas.Glavin, D.P., Dworkin, J.P., Aubrey, A., Botta, O., Doty, J.H., Martins, Z. & Bada, J.L. (2006). Amino acid analyses of Antarctic CM2 meteorites using liquid chromatography-time of flight-mass spectrometry. Meteorit. Planet. Sci., 41:889-902.Glavin, D.P., Doty, J.H., Matrajt, G. & Dworkin, J.P. (2006). Protocol for Future Amino Acid Analyses of Samples Returned by the Stardust Mission [Abstract]. 37th Annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. League City, Texas.Elsila, J.E., Bernstein, M.P. & Dworkin, J.P. (2006). Studies of Amino Acid Formation by Photolysis of Interstellar Ice Analogs [Abstract]. Astrobiology, 6:116.Deamer, D.W. & Dworkin, J.P. (2005). Chemistry and Physics of Primitive Membranes, 259:1-27.Butler, J., Stockman, S., Mumma, M., Walter, D., Dworkin, J., Gary, T., Hamidi-Vadeghani, N., Salary, L., DiSanti, M., Moore, M. & Cummings, T. (2006). The Astrobiology in Secondary Classrooms (ASC) Project [Abstract]. Astrobiology, 6:161.Botta, O., Martins, Z., Emmenegger, C., Dworkin, J.P., Glavin, D.P., Harvey, R.P., Zenobi, R., Bada, J.L. & Ehrenfreund, P. (2006). Reassessing the Organic Content of Antarctic Ice and Meteorites [Abstract]. 37th Annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. League City, Texas.Johnson, N.M., Martin, M., Dworkin, J.P. & Nuth, J.A. (2005). Synthesizing organics using amorphous Mg- and Fe- silicate grains [Abstract]. 68th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society. Gatlinburg, Tennessee.Sandford, S.A., Aleon, J., Alexander, C.M.O., Butterworth, A.L., Clemett, S.J., Cody, G.D., Cooper, G., Dworkin, J.P., Flynn, G.J., Gilles, M.K., Glavin, D.P., Jacobsen, C., Matrajt, G., Robert, F., Spencer, M.K., Stephan, T., Westphal, A., Wirick, S. & Zare, R.N. (2006). The Preliminary Examination of Organics in the Returned Stardust Samples from Comet Wild 2 [Abstract]. Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVII. Houston, TX.Glavin, D.P., Aubrey, A., Dworkin, J.P., Botta, O. & Bada, J.L. (2005). Amino Acids in the Antarctic Martian Meteorite MIL03346 [Abstract]. Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVI. Houston.Glavin, D.P., Dworkin, J.P., Aubrey, A., Botta, O., Doty, J.H., Martins, Z. & Bada, J.L. (2006). Amino acid analyses of Antarctic CM meteorites using liquid chromatography-time of flight-mass spectrometry. Meteorit. Planet. Sci., 41:889-902.Sandford, S.A., Aleon, J., Alexander, C.M.O'D., Butterworth, A.L., Clemett, S.J., Cody, G.D., Cooper, G., Dworkin, J.P., Flynn, G.J., Gilles, M.K., Glavin, D.P., Jacobsen, C., Matrajt, G., Robert, F., Spencer, M.K., Stephan, T., Westphal, A., Wirick, S. & Zare, R.N. (2006). The Preliminary Examination of Organics in the Returned Stardust Samples from Comet Wild 2 [Abstract]. Lunar and Planetary Science, XXXVII.Hazen, R.M., Snellinger, A.M., Dworkin, J.P., Scott, J.H., Cody, G.D., Fogel, M.L., Johnston, M.V. & Ertem, G. (2006). MALDI-MS analysis of hetero-trimer fractions formed by montmorillonite catalysis in the reaction of binary monomer mixtures [Abstract]. Astrobiology, 6:250.Sandford, S.A., Aleon, J., Alexander, C.M.O'D., Butterworth, A., Clemett, S.J., Cody, G., Cooper, G., Dworkin, J.P., Flynn, G.J., Gilles, M.K., Glavin, D.P., Jacobsen, C., Matrajt, G., Robert, F., Spencer, M.K., Stephan, T., Westphal, A., Wirick, S. & Zare, R.N. (2006). The preliminary examination of organics in the returned Stardust samples from comet Wild [Abstract]. Abstracts of Papers, 37th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Houston, TX.Johnson, N.M., Martin, M., Dworkin, J.P. & Nuth III, J.A. (Submitted, 2005). Synthesizing Organics using Amorphous Mg- and Fe-Silicate Grains [Abstract]. Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society. Gatlinburg, TN.Johnson, N.M., Martin, M., Dworkin, J.P. & Nuth, J.A. (Submitted, 2005). Synthesizing Organics using Amorphous Mg- and Fe-Silicate Grains [Abstract]. Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society. Gatlinburg, TN.Glavin, D.P., Dworkin, J.P., Lupisella, M., Kminek, G. & Rummel, J.D. (2004). Biological contamination studies of lunar landing sites: Implications for future planetary protection and life detection on the Moon and Mars. International Journal of Astrobiology, 3:265-271.Glavin, D.P., Aubrey, A., Dworkin, J.P., Botta, O. & Bada, J.L. (2005). Amino Acids in the Antarctic Martian Meteorite MIL03346 1920 [Abstract]. 36th Lunar and Planetary Society Conference. Houston, TX.Deamer, D.W. & Dworkin, J.P. (In Press, 2005). Chemistry and Physics of Primitive Membranes. In: P. Walde (Ed.). Prebiotic Chemistry: From Simple Amphiphiles to Protocell Models. Topics in Current Chemistry. Springer-Verlag.Bernstein, M.P., Mastrapa, R., Elsila, J., Dworkin, J. & Sandford, S. (2005). IR Spectroscopy and Photo-Chemistry of Extraterrestrial Ices [Abstract]. Asia Oceania Geosciences Society, 2nd Annual Meeting:Abstract #58-PS-A0817. Singapore.Ertem, G., Dworkin, J.P. & Hazen, R.M. (2005). Montmorillonite, oligonucleotides, RNA and origin of life [Abstract]. Astrobiology, 5(2):220-221.
