Thanks to Diljá for leading on this study! And to all funders (@erc.europa.eu, @leakeyfoundation.org, @villumfonden.bsky.social) for making the research possible.

There's loads more in the paper, so check it out! (And more coming a little later, in another study😉).

⚠️But, a human skeleton contains max 2 preserved petrous bones, if both are present. We advocate for conservative considerations when proposing the sampling of petrous bones for (deep-time) hominin phyloproteomics. Combined sampling of cortical and trabecular bone might provide similar insights.

Out of the tested bone elements (femur, rib, parietal, petrous), the petrous bone stands out as providing access to the largest, phylogenetically most-informative proteome, with almost double the number of proteins and peptides identified.

We also show that cartilage-related proteins are uniquely surviving in bones formed through endochondral ossification - initial skeletal ossification therefore shapes proteome composition even in samples from adult individuals.⌛

🦴As in previous research, we show that cortical bone contains larger and better-preserved proteomes compared to the directly underlying trabecular bone.
Previous research: doi.org/10.1016/j.ja...

We therefore set out to explore which skeletal locations might be best-suited to address such research questions, in terms of protein preservation and in terms of protein composition. In addition, would differences between endochondral and intramembraneous ossification be detectable in adult bone?

With increasing interest in conducting evolutionary and osteoarchaeological ancient protein research there is also an increasing demand for the sampling of archaeological human bone.

🎉New publication! Ready for some post-Easter palaeoproteomics reading?

Our work describing proteome composition variation in the archaeological skeletons of healthy adults, only a few centuries old, is out in JAS🥂!

doi.org/10.1016/j.ja...

#FINS is using a multidisciplinary approach including dermal denticle analysis and proteomics to study #marineshagreen, which is a material made from the skins of sharks and rays, to explore historic elasmobranch exploitation in the early modern period #EEA2025 @rachelmwinter.bsky.social

Interested in #palaeoproteomics, #ZooMS and human evolution? We currently have a postdoctoral position and a research position open.

Postdoc: jobportal.ku.dk/videnskabeli...

Research assistant: jobportal.ku.dk/videnskabeli...

New methods on the block: Taxonomic identification of archaeological bones in resin-embedded sediments through paleoproteomics Abstract. The integration of biomolecular studies of past organisms with geoarchaeological studies can significantly improve our understanding of the relat

New paper is out!

We and welkergroup.bsky.social show that proteins from resin-impregnated sediment blocks can reveal faunal diversity at the microscale.
We thank and congratulate all coauthors!
#paleoproteomics #geoarchaeology
erc.europa.eu
icarehb.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...

Huge thanks and congratulations to all coauthors (including @zandraselina.bsky.social, @fridowelker.bsky.social, @veraaldeias.bsky.social) and funders (@erc.europa.eu, #msca_promise and many more) 🎉

New methods on the block: Taxonomic identification of archaeological bones in resin-embedded sediments through paleoproteomics Abstract. The integration of biomolecular studies of past organisms with geoarchaeological studies can significantly improve our understanding of the relat

📣Paper alert📣 Is it possible to use #palaeoproteomics to identify the taxonomy of bone fragments in resin-embedded sediment blocks, enabling study of past faunal community composition at a microstratigraphic scale? 🦴🐮 🦌 We decided to test this, and the results are now out: doi.org/10.1093/pnas...

Me giving a talk, barely visible behind a giant podium. About five minutes later, the fire alarm went off, and we all had to go outside for a while. But hey, at least the audience were awake after that! Photo by Dorothea Mylopotamitaki.

And that's a wrap on Bone Diagenesis 2025! What a lovely conference, full of kind and brilliant scientists. Also the first time my talk has been so 🔥🔥🔥 it set off the fire alarm (I'm choosing to assume that was the reason) 😅

Paris and @welkergroup.bsky.social are ready for #ESHE2025!

And @leireti.bsky.social will both be presenting a poster on Wednesday, as well as talking about "The sex(y)-ing part of enamel: estimating sex ratios in hunted ungulates from the Late Pleistocene" in the @paastacommunity.bsky.social pre-ISBA conference 🦌

On Friday @vvillaislas.bsky.social will be presenting a poster on "Extended enamel database for hominin palaeoproteomic data analysis" 💻

On Friday @zandraselina.bsky.social will talk about "Optimization of dental enamel demineralization for palaeoproteomics" at 11:35 in the Methods IV session 🦷

On Thursday at 09:30 Ragnheiður Diljá Ásmundsdóttir will be talking about "Composition variations in archaeological human bone proteomes" in the Methods II session 🦴

We have arrived in Turin for @isba11.bsky.social and are very excited for the week! Don't miss the following talks and posters from the Welker Group:

Delighted to be bringing you the following PAASTA community-led paper outlining our recommendations for best practices and open science in palaeoproteomics! Congratulations to the authors and for anyone keen to read the paper, it can be found #OpenAccess here: doi.org/10.24072/pcj...

Photo of me giving a talk in a very fancy room! Photo taken by Viridiana Villa Islas.

I very much enjoyed #SMBE2025 in Beijing - huge thanks to the organizers, and I look forward to seeing everyone in Copenhagen next year!

My poster presentation, thanks to the photographers team #SMBE2025

Parts of the Welker Group taking a boat ride around the canals of Copenhagen, all looking very happy!

For the last six months, we've had Lucas Siero from Utrecht University visiting us for an internship, working on some #palaeoproteomics method development. It was a joy to have you join our group Lucas, and good luck with the rest of your studies!

Come visit beautiful Copenhagen and enjoy this years AGPM meeting! Exciting mixture of interdisciplinary approaches to archaeozoology⬇️

It has truly been a pleasure to train and develop my PhD research on paleoproteomics about Iberia's Late Prehistory with @zandraselina.bsky.social and @welkergroup.bsky.social during my stay at Globe. Grateful for the collaborative spirit and all the inspiring discussions! See you all again soon!

Parts of the group out enjoying some Copenhagen sun and iced tea!

For the last six months, @adrianaleite.bsky.social has been visiting us from @icarehb.bsky.social. Thank you for this time Adriana, it has been a joy to have you in our group and we hope to see you again soon!

Congratulations to @dorotheamylop.bsky.social!

Now that’s what I call scientific illustration