For Aparajita Bhattacharya, who is graduating with a Master of Arts degree in Public Issues Anthropology, the interdisciplinary nature of her graduate student experience opened doors to new research paths and an exciting future.
With a background in data science and a passion for anthropology, particularly bioarchaeology, Bhattacharya's research explored how bioinformatics can be integrated with anthropology and bioarchaeology to answer questions about infectious disease in the ancient past, and the social and cultural contexts in which they emerged.
In collaboration with her supervisor Dr. Alexis Dolphin from the Department of Anthropology and Dr. Andrew Doxey, their collaborator from the Department of Biology, Bhattacharya aimed to identify ancient Brucella, a group of infection-causing bacteria, in human metagenomes. In other words, Bhattacharya's research explored the total DNA from ancient human bone samples that had been published in a public DNA database.
"I became interested in using data science and bioinformatics in anthropology because it can allow new explorations of old data by re-analyzing ancient DNA to answer fresh questions," she explains. "This method is crucial as ethical concerns about destructive sampling in ancient DNA research grow. Researchers now need to prioritize non or minimally destructive techniques when working with human remains."
During her studies at Waterloo, Bhattacharya conducted field work in Jordan, which also fueled her interest in the archaeology and bioarchaeology of southern Jordan and the Levant. She became involved in the Barqa Landscape Project, a multi-disciplinary initiative exploring the ancient and contemporary environmental and human effects of copper metallurgy in Jordan's Faynan region. The project brought together experts from diverse fields including archaeologists, bioarchaeologists, geographers, environmental scientists, conservators, undergraduate and graduate students, to analyze the region's complex archaeological and environmental record.
"The best kind of anthropological or archaeological research incorporates knowledge from various disciplines," she notes. "The Barqa Landscape Project epitomizes that approach and it's the kind of work I want to be part of in the future."
Her research design blended computational and experiential aspects, requiring her to think critically about both her empirical data and the broader implications of bioinformatics in anthropology. "Navigating between these two lines of analysis meant consulting with others in related fields and deeply reflecting on my contributions as an anthropologist to discussions about ancient DNA," she says. While the bioinformatics side presented a steep learning curve, Bhattacharya brought valuable anthropological expertise to the table.
In July 2024, Bhattacharya started her PhD in the Department of Archaeogenetics at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. Her upcoming PhD research will focus on the genomic co-evolution between interactive bacteria and their human hosts. By applying an anthropological perspective to the study of ancient and modern bacterial genomes, she aims to contribute to interdisciplinary discussions on health, disease and the relationship between human biology and culture in ancient societies.
Reflecting on her time in Waterloo's Department of Anthropology, Bhattacharya credits the support and encouragement she received from instructors, researchers, staff and fellow students for shaping her academic journey. She believes the interdisciplinary research in Arts offers valuable opportunities for everyone.
