I have always loved history and biology. As such I study evidence of specific pathogens in pre-Rome and ancient Rome. This work integrates ancient DNA analyses with bioarchaeology and paleopathology. There have only been a few instances where disease has been looked for and also found in Roman remains using aDNA analyses. I plan to complete a large-scale study of southern Italian remains.

I seek to contribute to a better understanding of disease profiles of individuals by age, sex and status in pre-Roman and Roman era Italy. Further, my research will combine paleopathological, archaeological and historical evidence in order to better understand how the Roman conquest may have affected disease in individuals in southern Italy. This includes questions involving how trade, warfare, and migration may have changed disease profiles within and between the pre-Roman and Roman era.