Visiting Researcher Spotlight: Oi, Elisa!

Elisa Pucu is a doctoral student at the Universidade Federal Fluminense (Fluminense Federal University) in Niterói, Brazil. She is currently studying Applied Microbiology and Parasitology for her Ph.D. Elisa earned her Bachelor’s and Licentiate degree from the Santa Úrsula University in Biological Sciences in 2009. She completed her Master’s degree in Parasitology from the University of Lincoln-Nebraska  in 2012. Elisa has been broadly trained in parasitology, archaeoparasitology, molecular biology, and mammalogy and has participated in interdisciplinary projects with collaborations from researchers at a number of different institutions. She started teaching undergraduates in 2010, and has taught biology and parasitology courses. Her experience with mummy research is focused on molecular biology of infectious diseases, parasite evidence, and arthropod fragments. For her dissertation, she has been working on the identification of infectious diseases in mummified remains from Sítio Justino in Sergipe, Brazil, and from the São Jorge Church, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Elisa will be joining us in Sicily for part of the Mummy Studies Field School as a visiting researcher to gain some valuable experience that will help her with her dissertation work. We caught up with Elisa to ask her about her involvement with our program this summer.

Hey, Elisa! What made you interested in coming to Sicily to study mummies with us?
I was applying for my doctorate when Dr. Karl Reinhard was in Rio de Janeiro. When we were discussing my project, he told me about this course and how it would be interesting for me. I was immediately captivated: first because of the topic of the course and how I could fit this in my dissertation, and second by the opportunity to learn and conduct research in Sicily. It is not everyday that we have a mummy course, especially in Italy!

Would you describe your dissertation project for us?
Sure! My dissertation is focused on ectoparasites and vectors and their infectious diseases in archaeological remains. I am currently working on molecular analysis of skeletons and human tissues in order to detect these diseases, such as the bubonic plague. I will also look for ectoparasites in hairs, coprolites, and clothes. From there, I will identify the ectoparasites morphologically and then analyze them molecularly to look for infectious diseases.

How does Sicily fit into your dissertation project?
It will be a course that will provide me a 'hands on' experience with mummies. Also, I will be able to analyze some ectoparasites and identify them morphologically, adding this information to my dissertation work. And, of course, this whole experience with different researchers in a different environment will enrich my dissertation in so many ways.

What are you most looking forward to about the Mummy Studies Field School?
I am looking forward to the catacombs and the fieldwork! I can't wait to see all those mummies that are so well preserved! 

What are you most worried/anxious about?
I am always anxious about the flights. 

What are your plans following graduation?
Well, I am still in my first year as a doctoral student...however, I am planning to teach parasitology at a university when I finish my Ph.D.

Who is your favorite mummy and why?

There are so many mummies that are so cool...but, one of my favorites is the dog mummy from Egypt. This mummy was analyzed and they found a bunch of ticks and other ectoparasites attached to its fur!