Ancient DNA screening results | May 2026

The raw genomic data for the screening of all samples was successfully received and processed through a dedicated ancient DNA bioinformatics pipeline. This crucial initial phase involved rigorous quality-control checks and authenticity verification to confirm the integrity of the ancient DNA signatures. Based on these screening metrics, we established a strict viability threshold: individuals yielding greater than 1% endogenous DNA alongside strong authenticity profiles were selected to advance to further sequencing. Preservation varied significantly across the skeletal assemblages from the Hipogeu São Paulo II and Cova das Lapas sites. Depending on the specific endogenous percentages yielded by each viable sample, we decided how much further sequencing to target, aiming at varying levels of sequencing coverage or specific target SNP numbers to optimize the overall data recovery.

Beyond assessing the viability of the samples, the data from this screening phase was merged into a dataset with existing, published genomic data from the corresponding archaeological sites, and the OCCUPOMICS statistical scripts were run to further evaluate the pipeline's structural integration. 

Visit to the aDNA of the University of Vienna | 31st of January - 7th of February 2026

Between January 31 and February 7, 2026, I travelled to the Ancient DNA Laboratory at the University of Vienna, Austria, to execute the primary data generation phase for this project. The intensive week-long visit was dedicated to applying the dedicated protocols to the project's osteological material. Over the course of the visit, I successfully processed 24 samples for ancient DNA. Concurrently, I prepared and delivered a batch of 27 samples for radiocarbon dating. This dating batch comprised a mix of the newly extracted material alongside a few previously published specimens to ensure rigorous chronological calibration.

Beyond the bench work, the visit provided a valuable forum for methodological exchange. I delivered a presentation to the host researchers showcasing the preliminary analytical capabilities of OCCUPOMICS with my then-in-early-development bioinformatics pipeline. To demonstrate the pipeline's potential before my own sequencing data was finalized, I ran the automated statistical scripts on a set of data external to the project. Sharing these early, limited results allowed me to gather crucial feedback on the computational architecture and structural data integration that now drives the project's analytical framework.

Horizon@UC: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships | 18th of June 2025

On June 18, 2025, the University of Coimbra’s Strategic Areas Unit (NAE) hosted the online session Horizon@UC: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025. Organized as part of the broader MarieCurie@UC initiative, the event aimed to attract prospective postdoctoral researchers and increase the success rate of fellowship applications hosted at the university. Because practical insights are a significant asset for those navigating the competitive European funding landscape, I was invited to provide a testimonial as a successful Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions fellow. The organizers specifically sought my perspective to help demystify the application process for incoming candidates, potential supervisors, and institutional support staff.

During the afternoon schedule, I delivered a focused presentation titled "My path to a Marie-Curie Fellowship", sharing a transparent look at the proposal writing process, an initial failed application, and discussing how I recognized this specific grant as the crucial next step for advancing my current archaeogenetics research.

https://www.uc.pt/spgi/nae/horizon-uc/eventos/horizon-uc-msca-postdoctoral-fellowships-2025/