Jan Špaček

Jan Špaček
Špaček in 2025
Born (1986-06-16) 16 June 1986
Ostrava, Czechoslovakia
NationalityCzech
Alma materMasaryk University
Known forOrganic Carbon Cycle on Venus, Agnostic Life Finder (ALF)
Scientific career
FieldsMolecular biology, analytical chemistry, astrobiology
InstitutionsFoundation for Applied Molecular Evolution
Websitealfamars.org

Jan Špaček (born 16 June 1986) is a Czech molecular biologist, analytical chemist and astrobiologist. He is based in Florida, United States and is a senior research scientist at the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution (FfAME)[1] and the founder and CEO of the Agnostic Life Finding Association Inc.[2] His work focuses on life detection technologies, planetary chemistry, and the development of instrumentation for space missions. Špaček is known for proposing an Organic Carbon Cycle in the atmosphere of Venus[3][4][5] and for inventing the Agnostic Life Finder (ALF) instrument to screen Martian water for known or alien genetic polymers.[6][7][8]

Early life and education

Špaček was born in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia. He earned all his academic degrees from Masaryk University in Brno. He received a B.Sc. in Molecular Biology and Genetics in 2009, an M.Sc. in 2011, and a Ph.D. in Genomics and Proteomics in 2018,[9][10] he undertook several international internships and visiting scholar positions.

Early research (2008–2020)

From 2008 to 2020, Špaček was a member of the Department of Biophysical Chemistry and Molecular Oncology at the Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. Concurrently, from 2011 to 2020, he was affiliated with the Department of Structure and Interaction of Biomolecules at Surfaces at CEITEC, Masaryk University. His early research focused on the electrochemical characterization of nucleic acids, including natural, modified, and unnatural nucleic acids. He developed an electrochemical "footprinting"[11] to study DNA-protein interactions and developed a new method for electrochemical detection of unnatural base pairs in DNA, sensitive enough to detect single unnatural base in plasmids from semi-synthetic organisms.[12]

U.S. collaborations and shift to astrobiology (present)

During his time at UC San Diego in 2018–2019, Špaček advanced his studies of natural nucleotides[13] and unnatural nucleosides',[14] leading to collaboration with synthetic biology pioneer Steven Benner. He later joined Benner's lab (Firebird Biomolecular Sciences) as a Senior Research Scientist in 2020, and began working at FfAME in 2023.[15]

Space mission involvement

Špaček is a team member of the Morning Star Missions[16] (formerly Venus Life Finder), aimed at exploring the atmosphere of Venus. His research contributed to the development of the autofluorescence nephelometer on the first Morning Star Mission.[17]

He is also the inventor and lead developer of the Agnostic Life Finder (ALF) instrument,[8] which received funding through a 2024 NASA Innovative Advanced Concept (NIAC) grant.[18]

Špaček advocates for search for extant life on Mars before we send humans there. To advance this cause Špaček started a project ALFA Mars,[2] a project dedicated to agnostic life detection, public outreach, and student training in astrobiology.

Science communication

Špaček has contributed to the science blog Primordial Scoop[19] since 2021, advocating for critical thinking in astrobiology. He has delivered numerous public talks, appeared on podcasts,[20] and been featured in various media outlets.[21][22][23][24][25]


References

  1. ^ "Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution". Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Agnostic Life Finding Association Inc". alfamars.org. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  3. ^ Špaček, Jan (4 August 2021). "Organic Carbon Cycle in the Atmosphere of Venus". arXiv:2108.02286 [astro-ph.EP].
  4. ^ Špaček, Jan; Lee, Yeon J.; Rimmer, Paul B.; Petkowski, Janusz J. (1 May 2025). "A Model of UV-Blue Absorbance in Bulk Liquid of Venusian Cloud Aerosols Is Consistent with Efficient Organic Absorbers at High Concentrations". arXiv:2505.00880 [astro-ph.EP].
  5. ^ Spacek, Jan; Rimmer, Paul; Owens, Gage E.; Cady, Spencer R.; Sharma, Daisy; Benner, Steven A. (18 January 2024). "Production and Reactions of Organic Molecules in Clouds of Venus". ACS Earth and Space Chemistry. 8 (1): 89–98. Bibcode:2024ESC.....8...89S. doi:10.1021/acsearthspacechem.3c00261.
  6. ^ Axe, David. "This Private Mars Mission Wants to Find Alien Life Before It's Too Late". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  7. ^ Rizzo, Gabriella. "Alfa Mars' Race to Find Martian Life Before Time Runs Out". SAGANet. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  8. ^ a b Špaček, Jan; Benner, Steven A. (October 2022). "Agnostic Life Finder (ALF) for Large-Scale Screening of Martian Life During In Situ Refueling". Astrobiology. 22 (10): 1255–63. Bibcode:2022AsBio..22.1255S. doi:10.1089/ast.2021.0070. PMID 35796703.
  9. ^ Špaček, Jan (2009). Využití elektrochemicky aktivních značek a mikroseparačních metod při analýze poškození DNA a monitorování aktivity enzymů štěpících a modifikujících nukleové kyseliny (Bachelor's thesis thesis). Masaryk University, Faculty of Science.
  10. ^ Špaček, Jan (2018). Novel Approaches towards Electroanalysis of Natural and Modified DNAs and Their Interactions (PhD dissertation thesis). Masaryk University, Faculty of Science.
  11. ^ Balintová, Jana; Špaček, Jan; Pohl, Radek; Brázdová, Marie; Havran, Luděk; Fojta, Miroslav; Hocek, Michal (2 December 2014). "Azidophenyl as a Click-Transformable Redox Label of DNA Suitable for Electrochemical Detection of DNA–Protein Interactions". Chemical Science. 6 (1): 575–587. doi:10.1039/C4SC01906G. PMC 5618110. PMID 28970873.
  12. ^ Špaček, Jan; Fojta, Miroslav (20 December 2020). "Electroanalysis of Unnatural Base Pair Content in Plasmid DNA Generated in a Semi-Synthetic Organism". Electrochimica Acta. 364: 137298. doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2020.137298.
  13. ^ Špaček, Jan; Fojta, Miroslav; Wang, Joseph (2019). "Electrochemical Reduction and Oxidation of Six Natural 2′-Deoxynucleosides at a Pyrolytic Graphite Electrode in the Presence or Absence of Ambient Oxygen". Electroanalysis. 31 (10): 2057–2066. doi:10.1002/elan.201900417.
  14. ^ Špaček, Jan; Karalkar, Nilesh; Fojta, Miroslav; Wang, Joseph; Benner, Steven A. (1 December 2020). "Electrochemical Reduction and Oxidation of Eight Unnatural 2′-Deoxynucleosides at a Pyrolytic Graphite Electrode". Electrochimica Acta. 362: 137210. doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2020.137210. PMC 7571600. PMID 33087943.
  15. ^ "Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution". Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  16. ^ "Morning Star Missions to Venus". Morning Star Missions to Venus. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  17. ^ Baumgardner, Darrel; Fisher, Ted; Newton, Roy; Roden, Chris; Zmarzly, Pat; Seager, Sara; Petkowski, Janusz J.; Špaček, Jan (September 2022). "Deducing the Composition of Venus Cloud Particles with the Autofluorescence Nephelometer (AFN)". Aerospace. 9 (9): 492. arXiv:2209.02054. Bibcode:2022Aeros...9..492B. doi:10.3390/aerospace9090492.
  18. ^ "Add-on to Large-Scale Water Mining Operations on Mars to Screen for Introduced and Alien Life". NASA. 4 January 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  19. ^ "Primordial Scoop". Primordial Scoop. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  20. ^ "Ep. 213 – Jan Spacek: Agnostic Life Detection on Mars". Casual Space Podcast. Beth Mund. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  21. ^ "Tension Grows Between Mars Sample Return and the Search for Life". Space.com. 21 January 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  22. ^ "Next RPL Guest: Dr. Jan Spacek to Take Questions About the Search for Extant Life in the Solar System". The Mars Society. 6 April 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  23. ^ "Nový projekt chce najít život na Marsu ještě než tam přistanou první lidé". ScienceMag.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  24. ^ "How to Search for Life on Mars". The New Atlantis. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  25. ^ "Did Volcanic Glasses Help Spark Early Life?". Science. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
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