Prestigious grant funds OSU scientist´s research on living versions of origins-of-life fossils
(WorldNews Environment)

CORVALLIS, Ore. - The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has selected an Oregon State University researcher to lead a study of chemical signaling and metabolite production among microbial communities whose origins trace back billions of years. These `microbialites` encode much of the history of life on Earth - including the role ancient organisms played in the evolution of life and the shaping of environments. Their metabolites could hold keys for advancing both human and environmental health. OSU pharmaceutical sciences professor Kerry McPhail will work with collaborators at the University of Wisconsin, the University of California, San Diego, and Rhodes University in South Africa to study...