Scientists believe that before complex cellular life emerged on Earth, simpler “containers” may have served as early "protocells." Droplets containing various chemical systems are one candidate for such cell-like containers, but we currently have a poor understanding of whether such a protocell could have grown and divided—a fundamental requirement for life. Using a technique called electrochemistry, which applies electric current to drive chemical reactions, Professor Julio Alvarez will study how electrical charges affect the behavior of tiny droplets. When droplets become sufficiently charged, they can become unstable and split apart, potentially mimicking cellular division. The research team will use ultra-small electrodes to precisely control chemical reactions that modify droplet charge states. They'll examine various factors including different surfactants (molecules that stabilize droplets), solution environments, and conditions that mimic the crowded, viscous environment inside modern cells. By understanding what controls droplet growth and division, this research could illuminate a critical step in the transition from non-living chemistry to life on early Earth. The findings may also contribute to modern synthetic biology efforts to build artificial cells from scratch.