Attention researchers! We’re on the lookout for ancient pathological specimens. We are broadly interested in formalin-fixed wet tissues, FFPE blocks, microscope slides or similar materials collected before the 1970s-80s.
We want to use these specimens to characterize the evolving genomic landscape of influenza A viruses (both animals and human) in the 20th century, and if possible earlier than that. We have already reconstructed genomes from multiple human cases from the 1918-9 pandemic, as well as from several poultry cases from the 1920s-40s.
We also run projects on other human and animal diseases (measles, rinderpest, Marek’s disease, pox diseases, etc.), and we’re generally curious to learn which ones presented the ancient specimens in your collections.
If you have ancient pathological specimens, we’re happy to discuss more, visit for a first look and possibly start collaborating with you. Of course, co-authorship on any resulting papers is a given, irrespective of the results.
Let’s connect and see what fascinating discoveries we can make together!
Contact us at
sebastien.calvignac-spencer@helmholtz-hioh.de
Prof Dr Sébastien Calvignac-Spencer
Head of the PAEV Depart men
annika.graafrau@helmholtz-hioh.de
Dr Annika Graaf-Rau
Researcher at the PAEV Department
#Research #Collaboration #PathogenEvolution #AncientSpecimens #ScienceCommunity
