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LIFE:
Early Cells to Multicellularity

The logo reads "LIFE: Early Cells to Multicellularity" in black text around a dark blue circle. The the circle are simple drawings of white stars, orange and purple circles, and green wrench-like shapes that grab onto white circles in the center of the logo.

The focus of the LIFE RCN is to bring together researchers to address life and its complexities, as well life's response to the dramatic evolution of planetary environments. Their research questions span from LUCA (the last universal common ancestor) to multicellularity. LIFE strives to build a network of scientists from all backgrounds in order to achieve a holistic understanding of the evolution of life.

Research performed by the members of LIFE address the questions:

  • Origins of life to Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA)
    What environmental pressures and evolutionary opportunities gave rise to LUCA?
  • LUCA to a planetary biosphere:
    What environmental pressures and evolutionary opportunities caused life to expand to planetary scale?
  • LUCA to Last Eukaryotic Common Ancestor (LECA):
    What environmental pressures and evolutionary opportunities brought about compartmentalization of function within cells?
  • Single cells to differentiated multicellularity
    What environmental pressures and evolutionary opportunities gave rise to cellular differentiation, connectivity, and cooperation?

Organizational Structure

Current co-Leads:

  • Ariel Anbar, Arizona State University
  • Mary Droser, University of California, Riverside
  • Betül Kaçar, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Frank Rosenzweig, Georgia Institute of Technology

Early Career Investigator Committee:

  • Dinah Davison, Kansas State University
  • Alta Howells, University of Colorado, Boulder
  • Val Karavaeva, University of Vienna
  • Elliott Mueller, University of Colorado, Boulder
  • Paula Prondzinsky, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
  • Kirt Robinson, Arizona State University
  • Saleheh (Sally) Ebadirad, University of California, Riverside
  • Trent Thomas, University of Washington, Seattle
  • Jacob Winnikof, Harvard University

Visit the LIFE Website

LIFE maintains an independent website to coordinate activities. There you will find information on research from scientists within the LIFE network, featured scientific results in the form of research 'nuggets,' contact information, LIFE events, workshops, and more.

Click here about Visit the LIFE Website
The logo reads "LIFE: Early Cells to Multicellularity" in black text around a dark blue circle. The the circle are simple drawings of white stars, orange and purple circles, and green wrench-like shapes that grab onto white circles in the center of the logo.

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