Mimics of Protocellular and Extant Life

Our current scientific abilities do not allow for the synthesis of life in the laboratory. In order to reach this demanding goal, scientists are using cellular mimics of life to gain insight into the origin-of-life and the chemical complexity of biology and bioinspired systems. In the first part of this thesis, I characterize the behavior of prebiotically plausible single-chain lipids that can survive the – presumably – hostile conditions of the prebiotic Earth. Eventually, I aim to provide some answers towards the emergence of Darwinian evolution, and thus life as we know it. In the second part, I demonstrate a bioinspired complex chemical system that can influence the behavior of eukaryotic cells and neurons. This study highlights the plausibility of similar non-living cellular mimics for therapeutic applications.