HABIT — Water Harvesting on Mars

Principal Investigator of HABIT (HabitAbility: Brine, Irradiation and Temperature), developed for the ESA/IKI ExoMars 2022 mission. HABIT investigates the Martian water cycle and demonstrates in-situ water harvesting from the atmosphere. Also Co-Investigator of 8 space missions including REMS/Curiosity, ACS/Trace Gas Orbiter, and ISEM/ExoMars.

Member of ESA Advisory Team for Moon and Mars Exploration

Laboratory Space Humanity Initiative / Institute of Future of Science & ELSI

Funded by the Institute of Future of Science & ELSI. Research focuses on Space Exploration hardware development, and research for Mars Sample Return preparation (handling and analysing Martian regolith samples in cleanroom conditions), extracting and sequencing DNA/biomolecules using Oxford Nanopore MinION technology, and developing biosensing platforms for life detection in extraterrestrial materials.

Preparing for Mars Sample Return · Cleanroom sample handling · Nanopore sequencing

Transient Liquid Water on Mars

Led the pioneering work that found the first evidence of transient liquid water on present-day Mars through perchlorate brine deliquescence at Gale Crater, using Curiosity rover data.

Published in Nature Geoscience · Fundamentally redefined Mars habitability science

Habitability on Mars

Co-author of the first detections of methane and organics on Mars, first evidence of nitrogen fixation and oxidation of manganese on the Martian soil, and co-discoverer of the abnormal pattern of atmospheric oxygen on Mars. These discoveries collectively paint a picture of a chemically active, potentially habitable Mars.

Multiple landmark detections across Curiosity rover science

Space DNA Sequencing

Led the team that achieved world-record DNA sequencing from just 2 picograms of material without amplification using Oxford Nanopore MinION technology. A breakthrough with direct implications for astrobiology and the detection of life on other planets.

World record: 2 picograms sequenced without amplification · Opens path to extraterrestrial life detection

Radiative Transfer Code FUTBOLIN

Developer of FUTBOLIN (Forward and Backward scattering code for fUll non-LTE treatment in planetary atmospherEs), a state-of-the-art radiative transfer code for modelling planetary atmospheres under non-local thermodynamic equilibrium conditions. Used across multiple space missions and atmospheric studies.

NF₃ Greenhouse Gas & Climate Policy

Developed the scientific report supporting the legal brief requesting that Nitrogen Trifluoride (NF₃) be included in the UK Climate Change Act 2008 definition of greenhouse gases. The UK Government amended the Climate Change Act in line with the request within the year, incorporating NF₃.

Direct legislative impact: UK Climate Change Act amended 2023