Dr. Danielle Simkus is a researcher in the Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Dr. Simkus' research focus is on investigating the soluble organic content of meteorites and other astromaterials. She primarily uses gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) techniques to characterize, quantify, and measure the stable isotopic and enantiomeric signatures of prebiotic organic molecules (e.g., aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, monocarboxylic acids, amino acids) in extraterrestrial samples. Her work aims to better understand the abiotic processes involved in the synthesis and preservation of prebiotic organic matter relevant to the origin of life.
Ph.D. (Earth and Atmospheric Sciences - 2018) University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
M.Sc. (Earth and Environmental Sciences, Collaborative Graduate Program in Astrobiology - 2013) McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
B.Sc. (Double Major in Biological Sciences and Earth & Atmospheric Sciences - 2011) University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Simkus, D. N., J. C. Aponte, J. E. Elsila, et al. H. L. McLain, E. T. Parker, J. P. Dworkin, and D. P. Glavin. 2021. "Low total abundances and a predominance of n ‐ω‐amino acids in enstatite chondrites: Implications for thermal stability of amino acids in the inner solar system." Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 56 (11): 2118–2127 [Full Text (Link)] [10.1111/maps.13757]
Smith, H. H., A. S. Hyde, D. N. Simkus, et al. E. Libby, S. E. Maurer, H. V. Graham, C. P. Kempes, B. Sherwood Lollar, L. Chou, A. D. Ellington, G. M. Fricke, P. R. Girguis, N. M. Grefenstette, C. I. Pozarycki, C. H. House, and S. S. Johnson. 2021. "The Grayness of the Origin of Life." Life, 11 (6): 498 [10.3390/life11060498]
Glavin, D. P., H. L. McLain, J. P. Dworkin, et al. E. T. Parker, J. E. Elsila, J. C. Aponte, D. N. Simkus, C. I. Pozarycki, H. V. Graham, L. R. Nittler, and C. M. Alexander. 2020. "Abundant extraterrestrial amino acids in the primitive CM carbonaceous chondrite Asuka 12236." Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 55 (9): 1979–2006 [Full Text (Link)] [10.1111/maps.13560]
Aponte, J. C., H. L. McLain, D. N. Simkus, et al. J. E. Elsila, D. P. Glavin, E. T. Parker, J. P. Dworkin, D. H. Hill, H. C. Connolly, and D. S. Lauretta. 2020. "Extraterrestrial organic compounds and cyanide in the CM2 carbonaceous chondrites Aguas Zarcas and Murchison." Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 55 (7): 1509-1524 [Full Text (Link)] [10.1111/maps.13531]
Simkus, D., J. C. Aponte, J. E. Elsila, et al. E. T. Parker, D. P. Glavin, and J. P. Dworkin. 2019. "Methodologies for Analyzing Soluble Organic Compounds in Extraterrestrial Samples: Amino Acids, Amines, Monocarboxylic Acids, Aldehydes, and Ketones." Life, 9 (47): 30 pages [Full Text (Link)] [10.3390/life9020047]
Simkus, D. N., J. C. Aponte, J. E. Elsila, et al. R. W. Hilts, H. L. McLain, and C. D. Herd. 2019. "New insights into the heterogeneity of the Tagish Lake meteorite: Soluble organic compositions of variously altered specimens." Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 54: 1283-1302 [10.1111/maps.13276]
Simkus, D. N., J. C. Aponte, R. W. Hilts, J. E. Elsila, and C. D. Herd. 2019. "Compound-specific carbon isotope compositions of aldehydes and ketones in the Murchison meteorite." Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 54 (1): 142-156 [10.1111/maps.13202]
Orata, F. D., A. R. Rosana, Y. Xu, et al. D. N. Simkus, A. R. Bramucci, Y. Boucher, and R. J. Case. 2016. "Draft Genome Sequences of Four Bacterial Strains Isolated from a Polymicrobial Culture of Naked (N-Type)Emiliania huxleyiCCMP1516: TABLE 1 ." Genome Announcements, 4 (4): e00674-16 [10.1128/genomea.00674-16]
Rosana, A. R., F. D. Orata, Y. Xu, et al. D. N. Simkus, A. R. Bramucci, Y. Boucher, and R. J. Case. 2016. "Draft Genome Sequences of Seven Bacterial Strains Isolated from a Polymicrobial Culture of Coccolith-Bearing (C-Type)Emiliania huxleyiM217: TABLE 1 ." Genome Announcements, 4 (4): e00673-16 [10.1128/genomea.00673-16]
Herd, C. D., R. W. Hilts, A. W. Skelhorne, and D. N. Simkus. 2016. "Cold curation of pristine astromaterials: Insights from the Tagish Lake meteorite." Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 51 (3): 499-519 [10.1111/maps.12603]
Simkus, D. N., G. F. Slater, B. S. Lollar, et al. K. Wilkie, T. L. Kieft, C. Magnabosco, M. C. Lau, M. J. Pullin, S. B. Hendrickson, K. E. Wommack, E. G. Sakowski, E. V. Heerden, O. Kuloyo, B. Linage, G. Borgonie, and T. C. Onstott. 2016. "Variations in microbial carbon sources and cycling in the deep continental subsurface." Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 173: 264-283 [10.1016/j.gca.2015.10.003]
Hilts, R. W., C. D. Herd, D. N. Simkus, and G. F. Slater. 2014. "Soluble organic compounds in the Tagish Lake meteorite." Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 49 (4): 526-549 [10.1111/maps.12272]
Herd, C. D., A. Blinova, D. N. Simkus, et al. Y. Huang, R. Tarozo, C. M. Alexander, F. Gyngard, L. R. Nittler, G. D. Cody, M. L. Fogel, Y. Kebukawa, A. L. Kilcoyne, R. W. Hilts, G. F. Slater, D. P. Glavin, J. P. Dworkin, M. P. Callahan, J. E. Elsila, B. T. De Gregorio, and R. M. Stroud. 2011. "Origin and Evolution of Prebiotic Organic Matter As Inferred from the Tagish Lake Meteorite." Science, 332 (6035): 1304-1307 [Full Text (Link)] [10.1126/science.1203290]
Herd, C., A. Blinova, D. N. Simkus, et al. Y. Huang, R. Tarozo, C.-D. Alexander, F. Gyngard, L. R. Nittler, G. D. Cody, M. L. Fogel, Y. Kebukawa, A. Kilcoyne, R. W. Hilts, G. F. Slater, D. P. Glavin, J. P. Dworkin, M. P. Callahan, J. E. Elsila, B. T. De Gregorio, and R. M. Stroud. 2011. "Origin and evolution of prebiotic organic matter as inferred from the Tagish Lake meteorite." Science, 332: 1304-1307 [10.1126/science.1203290]
Dr. Danielle Simkus is a researcher in the Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Dr. Simkus' research focus is on investigating the soluble organic content of meteorites and other astromaterials. She primarily uses gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) techniques to characterize, quantify, and measure the stable isotopic and enantiomeric signatures of prebiotic organic molecules (e.g., aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, monocarboxylic acids, amino acids) in extraterrestrial samples. Her work aims to better understand the abiotic processes involved in the synthesis and preservation of prebiotic organic matter relevant to the origin of life.
Simkus, D. N., J. C. Aponte, J. E. Elsila, et al. H. L. McLain, E. T. Parker, J. P. Dworkin, and D. P. Glavin. 2021. "Low total abundances and a predominance of n ‐ω‐amino acids in enstatite chondrites: Implications for thermal stability of amino acids in the inner solar system." Meteoritics & Planetary Science 56 (11): 2118–2127 [Full Text (Link)] [10.1111/maps.13757]
Smith, H. H., A. S. Hyde, D. N. Simkus, et al. E. Libby, S. E. Maurer, H. V. Graham, C. P. Kempes, B. Sherwood Lollar, L. Chou, A. D. Ellington, G. M. Fricke, P. R. Girguis, N. M. Grefenstette, C. I. Pozarycki, C. H. House, and S. S. Johnson. 2021. "The Grayness of the Origin of Life." Life 11 (6): 498 [10.3390/life11060498]
Glavin, D. P., H. L. McLain, J. P. Dworkin, et al. E. T. Parker, J. E. Elsila, J. C. Aponte, D. N. Simkus, C. I. Pozarycki, H. V. Graham, L. R. Nittler, and C. M. Alexander. 2020. "Abundant extraterrestrial amino acids in the primitive CM carbonaceous chondrite Asuka 12236." Meteoritics & Planetary Science 55 (9): 1979–2006 [Full Text (Link)] [10.1111/maps.13560]
Aponte, J. C., H. L. McLain, D. N. Simkus, et al. J. E. Elsila, D. P. Glavin, E. T. Parker, J. P. Dworkin, D. H. Hill, H. C. Connolly, and D. S. Lauretta. 2020. "Extraterrestrial organic compounds and cyanide in the CM2 carbonaceous chondrites Aguas Zarcas and Murchison." Meteoritics & Planetary Science 55 (7): 1509-1524 [Full Text (Link)] [10.1111/maps.13531]
Simkus, D., J. C. Aponte, J. E. Elsila, et al. E. T. Parker, D. P. Glavin, and J. P. Dworkin. 2019. "Methodologies for Analyzing Soluble Organic Compounds in Extraterrestrial Samples: Amino Acids, Amines, Monocarboxylic Acids, Aldehydes, and Ketones." Life 9 (47): 30 pages [Full Text (Link)] [10.3390/life9020047]
Simkus, D. N., J. C. Aponte, J. E. Elsila, et al. R. W. Hilts, H. L. McLain, and C. D. Herd. 2019. "New insights into the heterogeneity of the Tagish Lake meteorite: Soluble organic compositions of variously altered specimens." Meteoritics & Planetary Science 54 1283-1302 [10.1111/maps.13276]
Simkus, D. N., J. C. Aponte, R. W. Hilts, J. E. Elsila, and C. D. Herd. 2019. "Compound-specific carbon isotope compositions of aldehydes and ketones in the Murchison meteorite." Meteoritics & Planetary Science 54 (1): 142-156 [10.1111/maps.13202]
Orata, F. D., A. R. Rosana, Y. Xu, et al. D. N. Simkus, A. R. Bramucci, Y. Boucher, and R. J. Case. 2016. "Draft Genome Sequences of Four Bacterial Strains Isolated from a Polymicrobial Culture of Naked (N-Type)Emiliania huxleyiCCMP1516: TABLE 1 ." Genome Announcements 4 (4): e00674-16 [10.1128/genomea.00674-16]
Rosana, A. R., F. D. Orata, Y. Xu, et al. D. N. Simkus, A. R. Bramucci, Y. Boucher, and R. J. Case. 2016. "Draft Genome Sequences of Seven Bacterial Strains Isolated from a Polymicrobial Culture of Coccolith-Bearing (C-Type)Emiliania huxleyiM217: TABLE 1 ." Genome Announcements 4 (4): e00673-16 [10.1128/genomea.00673-16]
Herd, C. D., R. W. Hilts, A. W. Skelhorne, and D. N. Simkus. 2016. "Cold curation of pristine astromaterials: Insights from the Tagish Lake meteorite." Meteoritics & Planetary Science 51 (3): 499-519 [10.1111/maps.12603]
Simkus, D. N., G. F. Slater, B. S. Lollar, et al. K. Wilkie, T. L. Kieft, C. Magnabosco, M. C. Lau, M. J. Pullin, S. B. Hendrickson, K. E. Wommack, E. G. Sakowski, E. V. Heerden, O. Kuloyo, B. Linage, G. Borgonie, and T. C. Onstott. 2016. "Variations in microbial carbon sources and cycling in the deep continental subsurface." Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 173 264-283 [10.1016/j.gca.2015.10.003]
Hilts, R. W., C. D. Herd, D. N. Simkus, and G. F. Slater. 2014. "Soluble organic compounds in the Tagish Lake meteorite." Meteoritics & Planetary Science 49 (4): 526-549 [10.1111/maps.12272]
Herd, C. D., A. Blinova, D. N. Simkus, et al. Y. Huang, R. Tarozo, C. M. Alexander, F. Gyngard, L. R. Nittler, G. D. Cody, M. L. Fogel, Y. Kebukawa, A. L. Kilcoyne, R. W. Hilts, G. F. Slater, D. P. Glavin, J. P. Dworkin, M. P. Callahan, J. E. Elsila, B. T. De Gregorio, and R. M. Stroud. 2011. "Origin and Evolution of Prebiotic Organic Matter As Inferred from the Tagish Lake Meteorite." Science 332 (6035): 1304-1307 [Full Text (Link)] [10.1126/science.1203290]
Herd, C., A. Blinova, D. N. Simkus, et al. Y. Huang, R. Tarozo, C.-D. Alexander, F. Gyngard, L. R. Nittler, G. D. Cody, M. L. Fogel, Y. Kebukawa, A. Kilcoyne, R. W. Hilts, G. F. Slater, D. P. Glavin, J. P. Dworkin, M. P. Callahan, J. E. Elsila, B. T. De Gregorio, and R. M. Stroud. 2011. "Origin and evolution of prebiotic organic matter as inferred from the Tagish Lake meteorite." Science 332 1304-1307 [10.1126/science.1203290]