Astrobiology at the University of Turku

Team Members

 

Prof. Kirsi Lehto (Group Leader, Department of Biology)

Prof. Olav Eklund (Department of Geology)

Prof. Christopher Flynn (Tuorla Observatory)

Prof. Harry Lehto (Tuorla Observatory)

Prof. Harri Lönnberg (Department of Chemistry)

Prof. Esko Valtaoja (Tuorla Observatory)

 

 

Curriculum Minor in Astrobiology

Turku University organises a curriculum minor on Astrobiology. (15 study weeks). Currently 4 different courses are taught in Astrobiology. 10 graduate students study astrobiology or perform research in related areas at Turku University. Furthermore, the group is also participating in the multi-institute International AstroBiology Course Network for European collaboration in education. In this network, the team was on the forefront in organising the ESA-sponsored real-time web course on astrobiology in 2005/2006.

Information about ongoing courses can be found here.

 

 

Research

The group at Turku University is active in a multitude of different fields of Astrobiology. In biology, researchers are testing the adaptation of different cyanobacterial species to their minimal tolerated growth conditions in order to probe their feasibility as biological life support systems in extraterrestrial conditions (e.g. on space stations, or during manned missions to Mars). These experiments will also determine the potential risk of microbial contamination of Martian environment by microbes transported from Earth. Furthermore, the group performs modelling of early RNA-based life forms by the molecular features of present-day RNA viruses and investigations of key steps in the process of origin of life, e.g. the origin of chirality.

 

In astronomy, Turku University performs studies of the dynamical evolution of extrasolar planetary systems to search for orbits where earth-like planets could reside. A special focus is on the stability of counter-rotating planetary systems, where stable habitable zones are predicted to be significantly wider. The group is also investigating how perturbations in the gravitational field of the Milky Way galaxy can affect the quantity of Oort cloud comets arriving in the inner Solar System.

 

In collaboration with the Finnish Meteorological Institute, scientists from Turku are engaged in theoretical modelling of the major climate changes in the history of Earth, and their relation to the major evolutionary invention of the biosphere.

 

 

Courses

 

The University of Turku is co-organising the Astrobiology Lecture Course Network (ABC-Net) sponsored by the European Space Agency. This Network provides an online coures including:

· Live video-conferencing, during all the events.

· iLinc e-learning tool.

· on-demand video and slides via streaming video. The recorded lectures will also be available ESA websites mentioned at the end of this document.

 

The course is mediated by a real-time videconferencing system between 11 different locations.

 

Furthermore, the University of Turku offers the following courses (in Finnish). Information about this courses can be obtained here.

 

Astrobiology (4 ECTS points)

Lecture course. For further informations follow this link or contact the course leaders Kirsi and Harry Lehto.

 

Origin of life (4 ECTS points)

Lecture course. For further informations follow this link or contact the course leader Kirsi Lehto.

 

Seminars in Astrobiology (2 ECTS points)

This seminar series is organised every second year. For further informations follow this link or contact the course leaders Kirsi and Harry Lehto.

Nordic Network of Astrobiology Graduate Schools

Towards a Nordic Research and Education Area in Astrobiology