NAI
Jason Dworkin
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
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
2009: Robert H. Goddard Leadership Award
2009, 2007: NASA GSFC Internal Research and Development Innovator of the Year (Team) Awards
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 College
Current Projects
- Analysis of Prebiotic Organic Compounds in Astrobiologically Relevant Samples — 2015 NAI
- Developing New Biosignatures — 2014 NAI
- Analysis of Prebiotic Organic Compounds in Astrobiologically Relevant Samples — 2014 NAI
- Fischer-Tropsch-Type Reactions in the Solar Nebula — 2014 NAI
- Analysis of Prebiotic Organic Compounds in Astrobiologically Relevant Samples — 2013 NAI
- Fischer-Tropsch-Type Reactions in the Solar Nebula — 2013 NAI
- The Astrobiology Walk — 2013 NAI
- Developing New Biosignatures — 2013 NAI
- Cosmic Distribution of Chemical Complexity — 2013 NAI
- Research Activities in the Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory — 2012 NAI
- Developing New Biosignatures — 2012 NAI
- Cosmic Distribution of Chemical Complexity — 2012 NAI
- Advancing Methods for the Analyses of Organics Molecules in Sediments — 2012 NAI
- Research Activities in the Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory — 2011 NAI
- Cosmic Distribution of Chemical Complexity — 2011 NAI
- Advancing Methods for the Analyses of Organics Molecules in Sediments — 2011 NAI
- Developing New Biosignatures — 2011 NAI
- Developing New Biosignatures — 2010 NAI
- FTT Catalysis of Organic Materials in the Solar Nebula — 2010 NAI
- Research Activities in the Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory — 2010 NAI
- Cosmic Distribution of Chemical Complexity — 2010 NAI
- Research Activities in the Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory — 2009 NAI
- Developing New Biosignatures — 2009 NAI
- Cosmic Distribution of Chemical Complexity — 2009 NAI
- Summer Undergraduate Internships in Astrobiology — 2009 NAI
- Prebiotic Organics From Space — 2008 NAI
- Research Activities in the Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory — 2008 NAI
- Summer Undergraduate Internship in Astrobiology — 2008 NAI
- Molecular Signatures of Life on the Edge (DDF Project) — 2008 NAI
- Prebiotic Organics From Space — 2007 NAI
- Summary of Activities in the Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory — 2007 NAI
- Summary of Activities in the Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory — 2006 NAI
- Prebiotic Organics From Space — 2006 NAI
- Prebiotic Organics From Space — 2005 NAI
- Planetary Science and Astrobiology Seminars — 2005 NAI
- Establishment of the Goddard Analytical Astrobiology Laboratory — 2005 NAI
- Prebiotic Organics From Space — 2004 NAI
- Establishment of the Goddard Analytical Astrobiology Laboratory — 2004 NAI
- Chemical Building Blocks — 2003 NAI
- Chemical Building Blocks — 2002 NAI
- Chemical Building Blocks — 2001 NAI
- Chemical Building Blocks — 2000 NAI
- View all 42 projects
NAI Project Collaborators
- Project collaborators as reported by the latest NAI Annual Report.
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Publications
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Burton, A. S., Elsila, J. E., Callahan, M. P., Martin, M. G., Glavin, D. P., Johnson, N. M., & Dworkin, J. P. (2012). A propensity for n-ω-amino acids in thermally altered Antarctic meteorites. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 47(3), 374–386. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2012.01341.x
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Burton, A. S., Glavin, D. P., Callahan, M. P., Dworkin, J. P., Jenniskens, P., & Shaddad, M. H. (2011). Heterogeneous distributions of amino acids provide evidence of multiple sources within the Almahata Sitta parent body, asteroid 2008 TC3. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 46(11), 1703–1712. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2011.01257.x
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Burton, A. S., Stern, J. C., Elsila, J. E., Glavin, D. P., & Dworkin, J. P. (2012). Understanding prebiotic chemistry through the analysis of extraterrestrial amino acids and nucleobases in meteorites. Chem. Soc. Rev., 41(16), 5459. doi:10.1039/c2cs35109a
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Callahan, M. P., Smith, K. E., Cleaves, H. J., Ruzicka, J., Stern, J. C., Glavin, D. P., … Dworkin, J. P. (2011). Carbonaceous meteorites contain a wide range of extraterrestrial nucleobases. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(34), 13995–13998. doi:10.1073/pnas.1106493108
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Callahan, M. P., Smith, K. E., Cleaves, H. J., Ruzicka, J., Stern, J. C., Glavin, D. P., … Dworkin, J. P. (2011). Carbonaceous meteorites contain a wide range of extraterrestrial nucleobases. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(34), 13995–13998. doi:10.1073/pnas.1106493108
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Elsila, J. E., Callahan, M. P., Glavin, D. P., Dworkin, J. P., & Brückner, H. (2011). Distribution and Stable Isotopic Composition of Amino Acids from Fungal Peptaibiotics: Assessing the Potential for Meteoritic Contamination. Astrobiology, 11(2), 123–133. doi:10.1089/ast.2010.0505
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Elsila, J. E., Charnley, S. B., Burton, A. S., Glavin, D. P., & Dworkin, J. P. (2012). Compound-specific carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen isotopic ratios for amino acids in CM and CR chondrites and their use in evaluating potential formation pathways. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 47(9), 1517–1536. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2012.01415.x
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Elsila, J. E., Glavin, D. P., & Dworkin, J. P. (2009). Cometary glycine detected in samples returned by Stardust. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 44(9), 1323–1330. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2009.tb01224.x
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Glavin, D. P., Aubrey, A. D., Callahan, M. P., Dworkin, J. P., Elsila, J. E., Parker, E. T., … Shaddad, M. H. (2010). Extraterrestrial amino acids in the Almahata Sitta meteorite. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 45(10-11), 1695–1709. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2010.01094.x
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Glavin, D. P., Callahan, M. P., Dworkin, J. P., & Elsila, J. E. (2010). The effects of parent body processes on amino acids in carbonaceous chondrites. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 45(12), 1948–1972. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2010.01132.x
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Glavin, D. P., Dworkin, J. P., & Sandford, S. A. (2008). Detection of cometary amines in samples returned by Stardust. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 43(1-2), 399–413. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2008.tb00629.x
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Glavin, D. P., Dworkin, J. P., Lupisella, M., Williams, D. R., Kminek, G., & Rummel, J. D. (2010). In Situ Biological Contamination Studies of the Moon: Implications for Planetary Protection and Life Detection Missions. Earth, Moon, and Planets, 107(1), 87–93. doi:10.1007/s11038-010-9361-4
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Glavin, D. P., Elsila, J. E., Burton, A. S., Callahan, M. P., Dworkin, J. P., Hilts, R. W., & Herd, C. D. K. (2012). Unusual nonterrestrial l-proteinogenic amino acid excesses in the Tagish Lake meteorite. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 47(8), 1347–1364. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2012.01400.x
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Herd, C. D. K., Blinova, A., Simkus, D. N., Huang, Y., Tarozo, R., Alexander, C. M. O., … Stroud, R. M. (2011). Origin and Evolution of Prebiotic Organic Matter As Inferred from the Tagish Lake Meteorite. Science, 332(6035), 1304–1307. doi:10.1126/science.1203290
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Martins, Z., Botta, O., Fogel, M. L., Sephton, M. A., Glavin, D. P., Watson, J. S., … Ehrenfreund, P. (2008). Extraterrestrial nucleobases in the Murchison meteorite. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 270(1-2), 130–136. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2008.03.026
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Meierhenrich, U. J., Filippi, J-J., Meinert, C., Vierling, P., & Dworkin, J. P. (2010). On the Origin of Primitive Cells: From Nutrient Intake to Elongation of Encapsulated Nucleotides. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 49(22), 3738–3750. doi:10.1002/anie.200905465
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Nuevo, M., Milam, S. N., Sandford, S. A., Elsila, J. E., & Dworkin, J. P. (2009). Formation of Uracil from the Ultraviolet Photo-Irradiation of Pyrimidine in Pure H 2 O Ices. Astrobiology, 9(7), 683–695. doi:10.1089/ast.2008.0324
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Parker, E. T., Cleaves, H. J., Callahan, M. P., Dworkin, J. P., Glavin, D. P., Lazcano, A., & Bada, J. L. (2010). Prebiotic Synthesis of Methionine and Other Sulfur-Containing Organic Compounds on the Primitive Earth: A Contemporary Reassessment Based on an Unpublished 1958 Stanley Miller Experiment. Orig Life Evol Biosph, 41(3), 201–212. doi:10.1007/s11084-010-9228-8
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Parker, E. T., Cleaves, H. J., Callahan, M. P., Dworkin, J. P., Glavin, D. P., Lazcano, A., & Bada, J. L. (2011). Enhanced Synthesis of Alkyl Amino Acids in Miller’s 1958 H2S Experiment. Orig Life Evol Biosph, 41(6), 569–574. doi:10.1007/s11084-011-9253-2
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Parker, E. T., Cleaves, H. J., Dworkin, J. P., Glavin, D. P., Callahan, M., Aubrey, A., … Bada, J. L. (2011). Primordial synthesis of amines and amino acids in a 1958 Miller H2S-rich spark discharge experiment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(14), 5526–5531. doi:10.1073/pnas.1019191108
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Sandford, S. A., Bajt, S., Clemett, S. J., Cody, G. D., Cooper, G., Degregorio, B. T., … Zolensky, M. E. (2010). Assessment and control of organic and other contaminants associated with the Stardust sample return from comet 81P/Wild 2. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 45(3), 406–433. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2010.01031.x
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Ten Kate, I. L., Cardiff, E. H., Dworkin, J. P., Feng, S. H., Holmes, V., Malespin, C., … Glavin, D. P. (2010). VAPoR – Volatile Analysis by Pyrolysis of Regolith – an instrument for in situ detection of water, noble gases, and organics on the Moon. Planetary and Space Science, 58(7-8), 1007–1017. doi:10.1016/j.pss.2010.03.006
See Project - Botta, O., Martins, Z., Emmenegger, C., Dworkin, J.P., Glavin, D., Harvey, R.P., Zenobi, R., Bada, J.L. & Ehrenfreund, P. (2008). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and amino acids in meteorites and ice samples from La Paz ice field, Antarctica. MAPS, 43: 1465-1480. See Project See Project
- Eigenbrode, J.L., Benning, L.G., Tobler, D.J., Rodriguez Blanco, J-D., Fogel, M.L., Amundsen, H., Callahan, M., Dworkin, J., Glamoclija, M., Glavin, D., Kerr, L., Kish, A., Mahaffy, P., McAdam, A., Steele, A. & Voytek, M. (2010). Organic Biosignatures and Habitat Features of Near-Surface Glacial Ice in Svalbard. LPI Contributions, 1538: 5546. See Project
- Hudson, R.L., Lewis, A.S., Moore, M.H., Dworkin, J.P. & Martin, J.P. (2009). Enigmatic Isovaline: Investigating the Stability, Racemization, and Formation of a Non-Biological Meteoritic Amino Acid. Chapter in Bioastronomy 2007: Modelcules, Microbes, and Extraterrestrial Life, Astronomical Society of the Pacific. See Project
- View all 25 publications
