Synthesizing Bioactive Molecules: Synergies between DrugDiscovery Techniques and Astrobiology Research

Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution, anddistribution of life in the universe. Drug discovery is the process inwhich new therapeutic agents are discovered through the design andsynthesis of bioactive molecules. On the surface level, astrobiologyand drug discovery appear to have little in common; however, thereis overlap among thefields, especially within the search for newsynthetic routes and understanding biological/biomimetic pathways.Within thefield of astrobiology, prebiotic chemistry is interested inthe targeted synthesis and modification of biologically relevantmolecules. Similarly, within thefield of drug discovery, medicinalchemistry is interested in the discovery of new biologically activemolecules for the treatment of unmet medical needs. Many activedrugs are developed using biological mechanisms as a blueprint todevelop novel and effective synthesis; prebiotic chemistry similarlylooks to these routes to answer questions about biomimetic yet abiotic pathways that could lead to an origins of life event. Thisperspective outlines several use cases where input from both astrobiology and drug discovery could benefit from sharing techniquesand insights that would not be obtained without collaboration. We posit that a stronger connection between thefields will bemutually beneficial over the coming decades.