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This page reports on the progress of my Australian Research Council funded Discovery Early Career Researcher Award fellowship that runs between 3 July 2019 - 3 July 2022 ($381,268.00)
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Bone metabolism change with lifestyle in ancient Asia-Pacific populations
This project aims to address a significant gap in our current knowledge of global change in skeletal health throughout recent human history. By contributing the first bone microstructural data for archaeological humans from across Asia-Pacific, this project aims to map the ways in which these ancient humans grew and adapted to different lifestyles. The project expects to identify new ways of predicting human bone health response to environmental and cultural change, contributing models for the well-being of past, living, and future human generations.
Overview
Building upon my previous research, this project aims to address a significant gap (Figure 1 below on the left) in our current knowledge of global bone metabolism change throughout the Holocene (ca. 11,700 BP – present). By contributing the first bone histology data for archaeological humans from across Asia-Pacific, and comparing them to modern Australian samples, the project will test whether bone metabolism has slowed down with lifestyle change over the course of our recent history. The study of human bones from archaeological contexts offers a wealth of information about our biology and lifestyle adaptation over the course of recent history. Central to this bioarchaeological endeavour is the reconstruction of bone growth and metabolic rates from preserved cell cavities and other histological structures (palaeometabolism), which would have been vital in sustaining and renewing the once living skeletons of our immediate ancestors (Figure 2 below on the right).
This project aims to address a significant gap in our current knowledge of global change in skeletal health throughout recent human history. By contributing the first bone microstructural data for archaeological humans from across Asia-Pacific, this project aims to map the ways in which these ancient humans grew and adapted to different lifestyles. The project expects to identify new ways of predicting human bone health response to environmental and cultural change, contributing models for the well-being of past, living, and future human generations.
Overview
Building upon my previous research, this project aims to address a significant gap (Figure 1 below on the left) in our current knowledge of global bone metabolism change throughout the Holocene (ca. 11,700 BP – present). By contributing the first bone histology data for archaeological humans from across Asia-Pacific, and comparing them to modern Australian samples, the project will test whether bone metabolism has slowed down with lifestyle change over the course of our recent history. The study of human bones from archaeological contexts offers a wealth of information about our biology and lifestyle adaptation over the course of recent history. Central to this bioarchaeological endeavour is the reconstruction of bone growth and metabolic rates from preserved cell cavities and other histological structures (palaeometabolism), which would have been vital in sustaining and renewing the once living skeletons of our immediate ancestors (Figure 2 below on the right).
The research has implications for understanding bone health from the past to the present in human societies and expanding the bioarchaeology of Asia-Pacific. These are pressing research goals because the quality of adult bone in living humans is alarmingly poor and associated with an increased prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis. In 2014, The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported that 9.4% of Australians over 50 years of age had poor bone health, with 2013 estimates that a 31% increase is likely by 2026. We cannot fully explain this phenomenon without first investigating bone metabolism change and its relationship to different lifestyles and environmental factors in ancient societies.
What has the taxpayer funded grant covered so far?
(February 2021 update)
(February 2021 update)
Salary: the ARC salary funds ($81,689/year) cover the majority of my annual salary at the ANU, so that I can conduct the research I outlined in my DECRA proposal. This has so far allowed me to undertake activities such as:
Since the start of my grant (July 2019), I have produced >200 thin sections of bone. I typically spend two days in the lab each week (9am-5pm). The other two days of the week I spend doing data collection and analysis, and writing, in my office. That is because once the samples are produced in the lab, I still have to analyse the images taken under the microscope. Once I have data, I can then conduct statistical analysis, and write up the results into a peer reviewed publication. As of February 2021, about 70% of thin section preparation of all my DECRA samples is complete. I am now, additionally, focused on analyses of modern human autopsy samples through the Melbourne Femur Research Collection. My target is to have *all* DECRA data collected by June/July 2021. From that point onwards, I will focus on global analyses and large-scale modelling.
These key research activities occupy 80% of my contract, which translates to four days a week. 20% of my contract is spent on other activities that include education (e.g. honours, masters student training, occasional guest lecturing), outreach (e.g. visiting local schools), supervision (e.g. PhD projects), research training (e.g. technical workshops offered to post-docs and academics), scientific community and university administration (e.g. I am Head of Biological Anthropology, and I also serve on ANU WHS, ANU Collections, and the Australasian Society for Human Biology committees, convening ANU masters program).
These key research activities occupy 80% of my contract, which translates to four days a week. 20% of my contract is spent on other activities that include education (e.g. honours, masters student training, occasional guest lecturing), outreach (e.g. visiting local schools), supervision (e.g. PhD projects), research training (e.g. technical workshops offered to post-docs and academics), scientific community and university administration (e.g. I am Head of Biological Anthropology, and I also serve on ANU WHS, ANU Collections, and the Australasian Society for Human Biology committees, convening ANU masters program).
Project costs: the ARC project funds ($78,694) cover various expenses that allow my project to progress. This has so far included:
The production of bone thin sections requires a suite of lab consumables that need to be regularly replenished. This includes things like chemicals, glass slides, cover slips, glue, epoxy resin. The ARC funds cover these items typically every couple of months. The ARC funds also allowed me to purchase a new microscope that I use in the examination of samples. I will be soon (March 2021) ordering a new cutting saw for the lab as our old workhorse is slowing down & has been intensively occupied by other lab users (particularly since COVID travel restrictions).
For some of the sample collection I needed to travel to various institutions (museums or universities), so a portion of the ARC funding went towards flight, accommodation, and subsistence costs. This has been recently varied in my budget as I had the remainder of the samples shipped to me from overseas (due to COVID travel restrictions). However, prior to the pandemic the ARC funds, for example, allowed me to travel to South Africa for the 2019 International Symposium on Paleohistology, where I presented DECRA data to the scientific community. The remainder of the project funds get allocated to things such as open access fees for research articles, data storage hard-drives (because histology images are large and of high resolution), and workshops where participants can receive training in histology and/or exchange ideas and training.
For some of the sample collection I needed to travel to various institutions (museums or universities), so a portion of the ARC funding went towards flight, accommodation, and subsistence costs. This has been recently varied in my budget as I had the remainder of the samples shipped to me from overseas (due to COVID travel restrictions). However, prior to the pandemic the ARC funds, for example, allowed me to travel to South Africa for the 2019 International Symposium on Paleohistology, where I presented DECRA data to the scientific community. The remainder of the project funds get allocated to things such as open access fees for research articles, data storage hard-drives (because histology images are large and of high resolution), and workshops where participants can receive training in histology and/or exchange ideas and training.
Map of data collection and analysis progress
February 2021 update
February 2021 update
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Legend:
blue - thin section preparation in progress green - data collection/analysis red - manuscript writing stage grey - awaiting sample access yellow - published I am predominantly lab based, so most samples that arrive in the lab are excavated by my collaborators, whose help I appreciate wholeheartedly. My lab protocol is to return all residual samples along with thin sections to the origin location of the human remains (e.g. deposit to museum, return to curating university, or the community). This is typically possible/established under collaboration/ethics agreements, but in some cases the collaborating colleagues/ institutions lack infrastructure to curate samples/ thin sections. In those instances we agree to store (until further notice) residual samples and thin sections as part of my thin section library. |
Locations represented and collaborators, institutions, and communities without whom I couldn't do any of this work:
CURRENT DATA COLLECTION (Feb - Jun 2021)
COMPLETED AND WRITTEN UP/ BEING WRITTEN UP, BUT NOT YET PUBLISHED
COMPLETED AND PUBLISHED
Additionally, the equipment, methods, and conceptual developments resulting from this grant have fed into several other publications with my collabroators and students working on human bone histology. Please see the publications tab to take a look at all the papers linked to my DECRA funding.
CURRENT DATA COLLECTION (Feb - Jun 2021)
- Australia (modern forensic, excl. Aboriginal) - in collaboration with Dr Rita Hardiman, I am analysing human autopsy femoral samples from the Melbourne Femur Research Collection curated at the University of Melbourne. Ethics clearances: ANU Protocol 2019/039, Melbourne Dental School HEAG 1955329, 1954534.
- Iraqi Kurdistan, various time periods (Western Asia) - in collaboration with Dr Rafal Fetner of the University of Warsaw, and permissions from Antiquities Department of Sulaimaniyah, Hemin Noori Fatah, Nigar Uthman Ameen and Suhaib Wahab Hama, I am analysing femoral samples from Bakr Awa.
- Iran, various time periods (Western Asia) - in collaboration with Dr Arkadiusz Soltysiak of the University of Warsaw, and permissions from the Iranian Centre for Archaeological Research of the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, we have bone histology and cross-sectional geometry data for femoral samples from a series of archaeological Iranian sites.
COMPLETED AND WRITTEN UP/ BEING WRITTEN UP, BUT NOT YET PUBLISHED
- Solomon Islands 700-300 BP (Pacific) - in collaboration with Dr Rebecca Kinaston, Professor Hallie Buckley of the University of Otago, and in collaboration with, and permission from, Lawrence Kiko of the Honiara Museum in Solomon Islands, we have bone histology data for femoral samples from Taumako.
- Indonesia 2000 BP (Southeast Asia) - in collaboration with Professor Peter Bellwood of the ANU, and permission from Lembaga Ilmu dan Pengetahuan Nasional (LIPI) and the Archaeological Research Centre in Jakarta (renamed Pusat Penelitian Arkeologi Nasional), we have bone histology data for femoral samples from the North Moluccas.
- Vietnam 3600-3900 BP, ca. 6000 BP (Southeast Asia) - in collaboration with Professor Marc Oxenham of ANU and the University of Aberdeen, and permissions from the Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences, Vietnamese Institute of Archaeology, and collaboration with Professor Nguyen Thi Mai Huong, Professor Nguyen Thi Mai Huong, and Tran Thu Minh, I supervised the examination of femoral samples from Mán Bạc. This examination was completed by my incredible masters student Meg Walker.
- Deh Dumen, Iran, Bronze Age (Western Asia) - in collaboration with Dr Arkadiusz Soltysiak of the University of Warsaw, and permissions from the Iranian Centre for Archaeological Research of the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, we have bone histology and cross-sectional geometry data for femoral samples from Bronze Age Deh Dumen.
COMPLETED AND PUBLISHED
- Philippines Metal Period (Southeast Asia) - in collaboration with Professor Marc Oxenham of ANU and the University of Aberdeen, permissions from the National Museum of the Philippines, and in collaboration with Filipino colleagues (Mary Jane Louise A. Bolunia, Alexandra S. De Leon, Antonio L. Peñalosa, Pablo S. Pagulayan, Adan V. Soriano), we collected data for some femoral samples from the site of Nagsabaran.
- Kingdom of Tonga 2650 BP (Pacific) - in collaboration with Professor Geoff Clark of ANU and Dr Frederique Valentin of CNRS, and with permissions from The Lapaha Community and Nobles (His Serene Highness Prince Kalaniuvalu Fotofili, Her Serene Highness Princess Marcella Taumoepeau Tupou Kalaniuvalu Fotofili, and Her Royal Highness Mele Siu'ilikutapu Kalaniuvalu Fotofili) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Government of Tonga), we collected bone microstructure data for samples from the Talasiu site.
- Marshall Islands 20 - 1638 AD (Pacific) - in collaboration with Professor Marshall Weisler of University of Queensland, and permissions from the Mayor and the Historic Preservation Office of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, we collected some femoral and other bone data for Ebon Atoll.
- Timor Island 5–18 ka (Southeast Asia) - in collaboration with Professor Sue O'Connor of ANU, and Associate Professor Julien Louys of Griffith University, and permissions from the Director General of Culture, Mrs Cecília Assis, Ministry of Tourism, Art and Culture, Timor-Leste, we analysed femoral samples from fossil rats to test how bone histology changes in insularity contexts in the Asia-Pacific region. This was important because a lot of my human samples come from small islands.
Additionally, the equipment, methods, and conceptual developments resulting from this grant have fed into several other publications with my collabroators and students working on human bone histology. Please see the publications tab to take a look at all the papers linked to my DECRA funding.