Author: DominikH

Save the Date – ESA–NASA Omics Data Sharing Seminar

Join ESA and NASA on 11 March 2026 (16:00-18:00 CET) for a seminar on how ESA omics data are shared, curated and accessed through NASA’s Open Science Data Repository (OSDR). The session will present ESA Exploration Science activities, data access via the Human and Robotic Exploration Data Archive (HREDA), and opportunities to collaborate through OSDR Analysis Working Groups.

The seminar will have the following topics:

Welcome and introduction to ESA Exploration Science

Exploring data through Human and Robotic ExplorationData Archive (HREDA)

NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences (BPS) researching space exploration

Intro into NASA Open Science Data Repository (OSDR)

Processing and Curation of ESA Data within NASA OSDR

Opportunities with OSDR-Analysis Working Groups

To register, please contact: Exploration-Science@esa.int

“Planetary Protection for sustainable space exploration” by The Royal Society

Royal Society Publishing has recently published an OPEN ACCESS theme issue of Philosophical Transactions A: Planetary Protection for sustainable space exploration compiled and edited by Karen Olsson-Francis, Athena Coustenis, Peter Doran, Petra Rettberg, Niklas Hedman and Jean-Claude Worms and the articles are FREE to access at www.bit.ly/TransA2314

About this issue

Planetary protection has recently gained increased attention from the broader scientific community, primarily driven by the rise of new spacefaring nations and the expanding role of private and commercial entities in space exploration. In response to these evolving dynamics, the COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy is being refined to accommodate these more complex and ambitious missions. This theme issue highlights the need for a transparent approach for planetary protection, where international collaboration is actively pursued, including the sharing of best practices and fostering collaboration among stakeholders to help ensure that space exploration benefits future generations.
The issue is based on the contributions presented at the Inaugural International COSPAR (Committee on Space Research) Planetary Protection Week held in London on April 2024 and at other COSPAR Planetary Protection Meetings.

List of papers

Planetary protection for safe and sustainable space exploration
Karen Olsson-Francis et al.

The COSPAR panel on planetary protection and the COSPAR policy on planetary protection: an overview of governance and activities
Niklas Hedman et al.

Testing the hypothesis, ‘planetary protection is expensive’ from the ESA perspective
Silvio Sinibaldi & Albert Haldemann

Proposed updates to the COSPAR planetary protection policy for missions to icy worlds
Peter Doran et al.

Habitability and exchange processes on the Jovian moons: implications for planetary protection measures
Gabriel Tobie et al.

Survival limits of psychrotolerant microorganisms with relevance for planetary protection of the icy moons
Tommaso Zaccaria, Kristina Beblo-Vranesevic, Marien I de Jonge, Mihai G Netea & Petra Rettberg

Planetary protection considerations for Dragonfly at Titan
Ralph D Lorenz, Shannon MacKenzie, Mihaela Ballarotto, Kenneth Hibbard & Elizabeth P Turtle

Isolator/glovebox technical challenges for the curation of samples returned from Mars
John MC Holt et al.

An ensemble binning approach to identify functional diversity in cleanroom environments
Michael C Macey, Alexander Mahnert, Ben P Stephens, Ezgi Kucukkilic-Stephens & Karen Olsson-Francis

Co-enrichment of Ce and organics in microbe-like structures at the deep-sea ferromanganese crust surface
Ayaka Tokumaru et al.

Postdoctoral Research position in Astrochemistry/Planetology

The team of the project ORGAMISS within the ASTRO team of the PIIM laboratory in Marseille (France) is looking for a postdoctoral researcher to investigate the impact of space weathering to detect organic matter in mineral matrices simulating solar system bodies.

This project investigates the origin and chemical evolution of extraterrestrial organic matter in past or present aqueous environments of Solar System bodies. The project will experimentally simulate the fate of organic matter on the surface of bodies (asteroids, Mars) using analogs and meteorites and define biases for the detection of OM in mineral matrices.

The preferred candidate will have a PhD (or close to completion) in astrochemistry, planetary sciences, chemistry or a closely related field, with knowledge and familiarity in spectroscopic techniques (IR, UV, Raman) and experimental works. The candidate should have demonstrated skills for experiments and/or analytics during the PhD or postdoctoral positions.

For more information, click here (PDF file).

The starting date is expected before July 2026.
Please send a CV, a description of research interests, a publication list, and email addresses of 2 referees as a single PDF file to Vassilissa.vinogradoff@univ-amu.fr

Postdoctoral Research position in Archaea Ecology (Bioinformatics)

This is not a repost – it’s another similar position in the same department.

The Section of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, is looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join the Rodrigues-Oliveira group. This ERC-funded position offers the opportunity to pursue cutting-edge research in a collaborative environment. The position is full-time, starting 1 April 2026 (or as soon as possible thereafter), and is funded initially for 1 year.

About the research project
This research project focuses on the Asgard archaea, the closest known prokaryotic relatives of eukaryotes. However, many aspects of their ecology and metabolism remain poorly understood, despite their key evolutionary significance. The position involves focused analyses of proteins and metabolic pathways central to Asgard archaeal ecology, aiming to generate insights relevant to ongoing discussions on eukaryogenesis.

Qualifications

  • A PhD in bioinformatics, computational biology, microbiology or related field
  • Proven research experience in comparative genomics and phylogeny
  • Demonstrated teamwork and interpersonal skills, with commitment to collaborative research.
  • Documented experience in scientific writing and publication in international peer-reviewed scientific journals
  • The capacity to prepare and present his/her/their research at scientific conferences.
  • Excellent English skills, both written and oral

Want to apply?
Great! Please send your CV, a motivation letter, and the contact details of three referees to the project leader, Asst. Prof. Thiago Rodrigues de Oliveira (thiago.rodrigues@bio.au.dk). Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled, early applications are encouraged

More information here (PDF file).

5th Interdisciplinary Origin of Life Meeting (from OoLEN) in Tokyo, Japan

Our friends at OoLEN are organising the 5th Interdisciplinary Origin of Life Meeting for Early Career Researchers (IOoL26) at ELSI in Tokyo, Japan September 9-11th. If you are interested in going or just want to keep up to date with the meeting, please fill in the form of interest here.

OoLEN membership is encouraged but not required.

Postdoctoral Research position in Archaea Microbiology

The Section of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join the Rodrigues-Oliveira group to investigate the ecology and biochemistry of Asgard archaea and their role in the emergence of complex life. This ERC-funded position offers the opportunity to pursue cutting-edge research in a collaborative international environment. The position is full-time, starting 1 June 2026 (or as soon as possible thereafter), and is initially for two years. As part of the recruitment process, a shortlisting procedure will be applied.

Expected start date and duration of employment

This is a 2–year position from 01/06/2026 or as soon possible.

Application deadline: 16 March 2026

More information and application on the website here.

Job description

This project focuses on the Asgard archaea, which represent the closest prokaryotic relatives of eukaryotes. Yet, due to the scarcity of cultured representatives, functional insights into their biology remain limited and are mostly inferred from genome data. In this context, you will be working on bridging this gap by investigating the biochemical properties of Asgard archaea proteins crucial to the understanding of their ecology and evolution. You will perform:

  • heterologous expression in model organisms
  • protein purification
  • biochemical functional characterizations
  • in vivo assays in genetically tractable archaea

British Planetary Science Conference (BPSC), UK, 2026

The British Planetary Science Conference will be hosted by the University of St Andrews, from 9-11th June 2026.

Registration for BPSC 2026 is now open and the registration portal can be found here.

Online registration is open til Wednesday 27th May, with the early registration deadline on Saturday 9th May. The abstract submission deadline is also on Saturday 9th May.

BPSC2026 will cover the wide range of our community’s interests including meteorites, sample return missions, Mars, the Moon and more. We want BPSC2026 to bring together planetary scientists from across disciplines and institutions to promote a collegiate and supportive space to discuss and present new ideas and results.

For more information, visit the event’s website here.

European Lunar Symposium (ELS) 2026, France

The next European Lunar Symposium (ELS) will take place at the Aquarium Museum of Nancy, in Nancy, France, from June 21–26, 2026.

Abstract submission and registration for ELS 2026 are now open!

Please visit the meeting webpage at https://sservi.nasa.gov/dev-els2026/ and note the various deadlines.

The European Lunar Symposium (ELS) is an annual international conference that brings together around 200 researchers, engineers, and professionals working on lunar science and exploration. Hosted each year in a different European city, ELS provides a key forum for presenting cutting-edge research, fostering collaborations, and discussing Europe’s role in the future of lunar exploration. ELS is excited to host the community for a week filled with thought-provoking discussions, inspiring sessions, and unique cultural experiences.

ESA Graduate Trainee positions

ESA has just announced over a 100 of their Graduate Trainee positions for 2026 in a wide variety of fields of interest for students who are in their final year of their respective Master’s programmes.

The positions are for 1 year open to persons with nationalities of any of the ESA member states, and a good entry point for those interested in future careers at ESA. Of note, hiring follows Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness standards, and priority is given to applicants from under-represented ESA member states (see job posting for further details).

The deadline for applications is 28th of February 2026.

For more information, potential applicants should consult the following websites and contact the relavent persons indicated: The full list can be found at https://jobs.esa.int/ using the keywords ‘ESA Graduate Trainee‘.

For more information about the programme, visit https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Careers_at_ESA/Graduates_ESA_Graduate_Trainees

Master thesis in Aerospace Medicine (Bioinformatics), Cologne, Germany

The department of Applied Aerospace Biology at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), embedded within the Institute of Aerospace Medicine, offers a position for a highly motivated Master’s student in bioinformatics or computational biology to support ongoing research on molecular adaptations to altered gravity using proteomic datasets from spaceflight and ground-based experiments.

CyMoN (Cytoskeletal dynamics of Motor Neurons) investigates how altered gravity affects the function and maintenance of human iPSC-derived motor neurons. Within this framework, the project
applies proteomics and bioinformatic analyses to characterize gravity-dependent molecular adaptations in neuronal systems. These insights will advance understanding of neuromuscular deficits in astronauts and contribute to terrestrial models of neurodegeneration and muscle atrophy.

The bioinformatics student should possess a deep interest in leveraging computational tools to analyze biological datasets derived from unique spaceflight environments. Ideal candidates will have earned a a B.Sc. or equivalent degree in bioinformatics, computational biology or a related discipline.

Interested candidates should send their application (letter of motivation, academic CV, contact details for references) directly by email to Dr. Christian Liemersdorf, Department Head Applied Aerospace Biology (Christian.Liemersdorf@dlr.de).

Salary: The Master’s Student position is remunerated.
Start: Earliest April 2026

For more information, click here.