Tuesday 15th July 2025 - 7.30pm, Cornerstone Arts Centre, Didcot
Foetal Mummy Misidentified as a Hawk Unlocks Medical Mysteries of Ancient Egypt
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a surprising opportunity took me from cancer research into the realm of ancient archaeology. In this talk, I will share how a tiny Egyptian mummy, originally misidentified as a bird, revealed extraordinary medical and historical secrets through modern scientific analysis. By employing cutting-edge techniques in proteomics, metabolomics, and imaging, we uncovered evidence of ancient embalming practices, maternal-foetal health, possible congenital malaria, and clues that may aid our understanding of disease evolution — including antibiotic resistance and congenital disorders — spanning thousands of years. This journey bridges ancient and modern medicine in unexpected ways.
Elisabete Pires was born in France and earned her Master’s degree in Portugal before beginning a research career spanning over 20 years in cancer research. She has worked at the University of Oxford since 2015 and contributed to the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine project. Diagnosed later in life with dyslexia and ADHD, Elisabete embraces her neurodiversity as a source of creativity and resilience. During the pandemic, a chance opportunity to analyse archaeological materials opened a new chapter in her research, combining molecular biology and ancient history. Her first breakthrough study on a 3,100-year-old golden funerary mask received international press coverage and an award at an international conference. Currently, she is in the final stages of defending her PhD, continuing to explore the fascinating intersection of ancient biomolecules, disease evolution, and modern medicine.
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