Didcot First lists information about one off community and not for profit events that are open to everyone in the wider Didcot Garden Town area. Any events we list here must be run for the benefit of the whole community and are the responsibility of the event organisers, so please contact them directly if you require further information.
If you would like to promote your community event here please send details to hello@didcotfirst.org
Please contact Didcot Café Scientifique if you would like to be added to the Mailing list on cafesci@didcotfirst.org
- This event has passed.
July 2025 – Didcot Cafe Scientifique – Elisabete Pires, Foetal Mummy Misidentified as a Hawk Unlocks Medical Mysteries of Ancient Egypt
15th July 2025 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Tuesday 15th July 2025 – 7.30pm, Cornerstone Arts Centre, Didcot
Foetal Mummy Misidentified as a Hawk Unlocks Medical Mysteries of Ancient Egypt
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a surprising opportunity took me from cancer research into the realm of ancient archaeology. In this talk, I will share how a tiny Egyptian mummy, originally misidentified as a bird, revealed extraordinary medical and historical secrets through modern scientific analysis. By employing cutting-edge techniques in proteomics, metabolomics, and imaging, we uncovered evidence of ancient embalming practices, maternal-foetal health, possible congenital malaria, and clues that may aid our understanding of disease evolution — including antibiotic resistance and congenital disorders — spanning thousands of years. This journey bridges ancient and modern medicine in unexpected ways.
Elisabete Pires was born in France and earned her Master’s degree in Portugal before beginning a research career spanning over 20 years in cancer research. She has worked at the University of Oxford since 2015 and contributed to the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine project. Diagnosed later in life with dyslexia and ADHD, Elisabete embraces her neurodiversity as a source of creativity and resilience. During the pandemic, a chance opportunity to analyse archaeological materials opened a new chapter in her research, combining molecular biology and ancient history. Her first breakthrough study on a 3,100-year-old golden funerary mask received international press coverage and an award at an international conference. Currently, she is in the final stages of defending her PhD, continuing to explore the fascinating intersection of ancient biomolecules, disease evolution, and modern medicine.