About Sheref
I am a…
Scientist
Bio
Dr. Sheref Mansy, leading the Mansy Group at the University of Alberta, is a distinguished researcher in the field of exploring cell-like activity originating from chemicals in vitro. His work delves into understanding the chemical foundations of life and constructing artificial cells for innovative technologies. Dr. Mansy's research encompasses investigating the emergence of metabolism, the significance of metal ions, developing lipid compartments for life-like chemical systems, and programming artificial cells to interact with bacterial and mammalian cells. The Mansy Group's commitment to inclusivity is evident through their emphasis on gender-based analysis training for new members and fostering a culture of respect, safety, and responsibility in their scientific pursuits. Dr. Mansy's contributions to deciphering the origins of life and leveraging lipid-containing aerosols for technological advancements showcase his expertise and dedication to groundbreaking research in the field.
I'm passionate about
deciphering the chemical-physical forces that led to life as we know it.
An idea worth spreading
Technology is natural.
Areas of expertise
Aerosols, artificial cells, artificial life, job skills training, origins of life, prebiotic chemistry, protocells, research, synthetic biology, technology
The TED story
I am fascinated by two separate problems that have some conceptual overlap. We try to (1) decipher a path from prebiotic chemistry to life as we know it, and (2) understand the divide between living and non-living chemical systems. We contributed to the understanding of early cell-like compartments that could have housed protocellular systems and have begun demonstrating how the metal-containing cofactors of life could have emerged spontaneously on our planet. Both together suggest how metabolism itself could have emerged. We have also developed artificial, cellular mimics that can integrate with and control the behavior of natural living cells. Finally, we built an objective metric to quantify how life-like an artificial cell is through the implementation of a Turing-inspired imitation game.