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Home / Our science / Science departments and staff / Staff directory / Dr Sophy Charlton

Dr Sophy Charlton

Dr Sophy Charlton

Postdoctoral Researcher, ERC Up North

Department: Earth Sciences
Division: ES Vertebrates and Anthropology Palaeobiology
Phone: 0207 942 5321

Specialisms

prehistory, ancient DNA, ancient proteins, biomolecular archaeology, health & disease, microbiomes, palaeodiet, stable isotopes

Summary

I am a biomolecular archaeologist, and use ancient DNA, proteins and stable isotopes to investigate past human activities and lifeways. I am currently working on an ERC funded project called Up-North, which aims to investigate the Upper and Final Palaeolithic human recolonisation of North Western Europe after the last glacial maximum. My role involves using ancient DNA analysis to explore prey species - considering how these animals may have adapted and reacted to changes in their environment, and what this may have meant for human populations.

Qualifications

Degrees

PhD, University of York, United Kingdom, 2012 - 2016

MSc, University of York, United Kingdom, 2011 - 2012

BSc (Hons), University of York, United Kingdom, 2008 - 2011

Highlighted publications

Brace S, Diekmann Y, Booth TJ, van Dorp L, Faltyskova Z, et al. (2019) Ancient genomes indicate population replacement in Early Neolithic Britain. NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION, 3 (5) : 765 - 771. doi: 10.1038/s41559-019-0871-9

Charlton S, Alexander M, Collins M, Milner N, Mellars P, et al. (2016) Finding Britain's last hunter-gatherers: A new biomolecular approach to ‘unidentifiable’ bone fragments utilising bone collagen. Journal of Archaeological Science, 73 : 55 - 61. doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2016.07.014

Warinner C, Hendy J, Speller C, Cappellini E, Fischer R, et al. (2015) Direct evidence of milk consumption from ancient human dental calculus. Scientific Reports, 4 (1) : doi: 10.1038/srep07104

Warinner C, Rodrigues JFM, Vyas R, Trachsel C, Shved N, et al. (2014) Pathogens and host immunity in the ancient human oral cavity. Nature Genetics, 46 (4) : 336 - 344. doi: 10.1038/ng.2906

Publications

Schulting R, Booth T, Brace S, Diekmann Y, Thomas M, Barnes I, Meiklejohn C, Babb J, Budd C, Charlton S, van der Plicht H, Mullan G, Wilson L (2019) Aveline's Hole: An Unexpected Twist in the Tale. Proceedings of the University of Bristol Spelaeological Society, 28 (1) : 9 - 63.

Sheridan A, Armit I, Reich D, Booth T, Bernardos R, Barnes I, Thomas M, Charlton S, Craig O, Lawson J, Dulias K, Edwards C, Pala M, Richards M, Margaryan A, Kristiansen K, Willerslev E, Allentoft M, Britton K, Noble G, Girdland Flink L, Talamo S, Curtis N, Cooper A, Cole S, Brown L (2019) A summary round-up list of Scottish archaeological human remains that have been sampled/analysed for DNA as of January 2019. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland, 19 : 1 - 23.

Brace S, Diekmann Y, Booth TJ, van Dorp L, Faltyskova Z, Rohland N, Mallick S, Olalde I, Ferry M, Michel M, Oppenheimer J, Broomandkhoshbacht N, Stewardson K, Martiniano R, Walsh S, Kayser M, Charlton S, Hellenthal G, Armit I, Schulting R, Craig OE, Sheridan A, Pearson MP, Stringer C, Reich D, Thomas MG, Barnes I (2019) Ancient genomes indicate population replacement in Early Neolithic Britain (vol 3, pg 765, 2019). NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION, 3 (6) : 986 - 987. doi: 10.1038/s41559-019-0912-4

Brace S, Diekmann Y, Booth TJ, van Dorp L, Faltyskova Z, Rohland N, Mallick S, Olalde I, Ferry M, Michel M, Oppenheimer J, Broomandkhoshbacht N, Stewardson K, Martiniano R, Walsh S, Kayser M, Charlton S, Hellenthal G, Armit I, Schulting R, Craig OE, Sheridan A, Pearson MP, Stringer C, Reich D, Thomas MG, Barnes I (2019) Ancient genomes indicate population replacement in Early Neolithic Britain. NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION, 3 (5) : 765 - 771. doi: 10.1038/s41559-019-0871-9

Knight B, Milner N, O'Connor T, Elliott B, Robson H, Buckley M, Witkowski P, Charlton S, Craig O, Collins M (2018) Faunal Remains: Results by Species, In: Star Carr Volume 2: Studies in Technology, Subsistence and Environment, Milner N, Conneller C, Taylor B (Eds). White Rose University Press : York. 195 - 254.

Charlton S (2018) Analysing fragmentary skeletal material from Blick Mead, In: Blick Mead: Exploring the 'first place' in the Stonehenge landscape, Jacques D, Phillips T, Lyons T (Eds). Peter Lang : Oxford. 149 - 152.

Piličiauskas G, Jankauskas R, Piličiauskienė G, Craig OE, Charlton S, Dupras T (2017) The transition from foraging to farming (7000–500 cal BC) in the SE Baltic: A re-evaluation of chronological and palaeodietary evidence from human remains. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 14 : 530 - 542. doi: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2017.06.004

Sheridan A, Cook G, Naysmith P, Marshall P, Whittle A, Clarke D, Charlton S (2017) Radiocarbon dates associated with the Scottish History and Archaeology Department, National Museums Scotland, 2015/16. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland, 17 : 192 - 195.

Hendy J, Bickle P, Copper M, Charlton S (2016) Neolithic cheese making: experimental archaeology and public engagement with replica vessels. PAST, 84 : 12 - 14.

Little A, van Gijn A, Collins T, Cooney G, Elliott B, Gilhooly B, Charlton S, Warren G (2017) Stone Dead: Uncovering Early Mesolithic Mortuary Rites, Hermitage, Ireland. Cambridge Archaeological Journal, 27 (02) : 223 - 243. doi: 10.1017/S0959774316000536

Charlton S, Alexander M, Collins M, Milner N, Mellars P, O'Connell TC, Stevens RE, Craig OE (2016) Finding Britain's last hunter-gatherers: A new biomolecular approach to ‘unidentifiable’ bone fragments utilising bone collagen. Journal of Archaeological Science, 73 : 55 - 61. doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2016.07.014

Colonese AC, Farrell T, Lucquin A, Firth D, Charlton S, Robson HK, Alexander M, Craig OE (2015) Archaeological bone lipids as palaeodietary markers. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 29 (7) : 611 - 618. doi: 10.1002/rcm.7144

Warinner C, Hendy J, Speller C, Cappellini E, Fischer R, Trachsel C, Arneborg J, Lynnerup N, Craig OE, Swallow DM, Fotakis A, Christensen RJ, Olsen JV, Liebert A, Montalva N, Fiddyment S, Charlton S, Mackie M, Canci A, Bouwman A, Rühli F, Gilbert MTP, Collins MJ (2015) Direct evidence of milk consumption from ancient human dental calculus. Scientific Reports, 4 (1) : doi: 10.1038/srep07104

Warinner C, Rodrigues JFM, Vyas R, Trachsel C, Shved N, Grossmann J, Radini A, Hancock Y, Tito RY, Fiddyment S, Speller C, Hendy J, Charlton S, Luder HU, Salazar-García DC, Eppler E, Seiler R, Hansen LH, Castruita JAS, Barkow-Oesterreicher S, Teoh KY, Kelstrup CD, Olsen JV, Nanni P, Kawai T, Willerslev E, von Mering C, Lewis CM, Collins MJ, Gilbert MTP, Rühli F, Cappellini E (2014) Pathogens and host immunity in the ancient human oral cavity. Nature Genetics, 46 (4) : 336 - 344. doi: 10.1038/ng.2906

Hendy J, Charlton S, Radini A (2013) Ancient dental plaque: An unexpected journey into the past. The Post Hole, 29 : 22 - 28.

Introduction

Summary

I am a biomolecular archaeologist, and use ancient DNA, proteins and stable isotopes to investigate past human activities and lifeways. I am currently working on an ERC funded project called Up-North, which aims to investigate the Upper and Final Palaeolithic human recolonisation of North Western Europe after the last glacial maximum. My role involves using ancient DNA analysis to explore prey species - considering how these animals may have adapted and reacted to changes in their environment, and what this may have meant for human populations.

Qualifications

Degrees

PhD, University of York, United Kingdom, 2012 - 2016

MSc, University of York, United Kingdom, 2011 - 2012

BSc (Hons), University of York, United Kingdom, 2008 - 2011

Highlighted publications

Brace S, Diekmann Y, Booth TJ, van Dorp L, Faltyskova Z, et al. (2019) Ancient genomes indicate population replacement in Early Neolithic Britain. NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION, 3 (5) : 765 - 771. doi: 10.1038/s41559-019-0871-9

Charlton S, Alexander M, Collins M, Milner N, Mellars P, et al. (2016) Finding Britain's last hunter-gatherers: A new biomolecular approach to ‘unidentifiable’ bone fragments utilising bone collagen. Journal of Archaeological Science, 73 : 55 - 61. doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2016.07.014

Warinner C, Hendy J, Speller C, Cappellini E, Fischer R, et al. (2015) Direct evidence of milk consumption from ancient human dental calculus. Scientific Reports, 4 (1) : doi: 10.1038/srep07104

Warinner C, Rodrigues JFM, Vyas R, Trachsel C, Shved N, et al. (2014) Pathogens and host immunity in the ancient human oral cavity. Nature Genetics, 46 (4) : 336 - 344. doi: 10.1038/ng.2906

Publications

Publications

Schulting R, Booth T, Brace S, Diekmann Y, Thomas M, Barnes I, Meiklejohn C, Babb J, Budd C, Charlton S, van der Plicht H, Mullan G, Wilson L (2019) Aveline's Hole: An Unexpected Twist in the Tale. Proceedings of the University of Bristol Spelaeological Society, 28 (1) : 9 - 63.

Sheridan A, Armit I, Reich D, Booth T, Bernardos R, Barnes I, Thomas M, Charlton S, Craig O, Lawson J, Dulias K, Edwards C, Pala M, Richards M, Margaryan A, Kristiansen K, Willerslev E, Allentoft M, Britton K, Noble G, Girdland Flink L, Talamo S, Curtis N, Cooper A, Cole S, Brown L (2019) A summary round-up list of Scottish archaeological human remains that have been sampled/analysed for DNA as of January 2019. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland, 19 : 1 - 23.

Brace S, Diekmann Y, Booth TJ, van Dorp L, Faltyskova Z, Rohland N, Mallick S, Olalde I, Ferry M, Michel M, Oppenheimer J, Broomandkhoshbacht N, Stewardson K, Martiniano R, Walsh S, Kayser M, Charlton S, Hellenthal G, Armit I, Schulting R, Craig OE, Sheridan A, Pearson MP, Stringer C, Reich D, Thomas MG, Barnes I (2019) Ancient genomes indicate population replacement in Early Neolithic Britain (vol 3, pg 765, 2019). NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION, 3 (6) : 986 - 987. doi: 10.1038/s41559-019-0912-4

Brace S, Diekmann Y, Booth TJ, van Dorp L, Faltyskova Z, Rohland N, Mallick S, Olalde I, Ferry M, Michel M, Oppenheimer J, Broomandkhoshbacht N, Stewardson K, Martiniano R, Walsh S, Kayser M, Charlton S, Hellenthal G, Armit I, Schulting R, Craig OE, Sheridan A, Pearson MP, Stringer C, Reich D, Thomas MG, Barnes I (2019) Ancient genomes indicate population replacement in Early Neolithic Britain. NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION, 3 (5) : 765 - 771. doi: 10.1038/s41559-019-0871-9

Knight B, Milner N, O'Connor T, Elliott B, Robson H, Buckley M, Witkowski P, Charlton S, Craig O, Collins M (2018) Faunal Remains: Results by Species, In: Star Carr Volume 2: Studies in Technology, Subsistence and Environment, Milner N, Conneller C, Taylor B (Eds). White Rose University Press : York. 195 - 254.

Charlton S (2018) Analysing fragmentary skeletal material from Blick Mead, In: Blick Mead: Exploring the 'first place' in the Stonehenge landscape, Jacques D, Phillips T, Lyons T (Eds). Peter Lang : Oxford. 149 - 152.

Piličiauskas G, Jankauskas R, Piličiauskienė G, Craig OE, Charlton S, Dupras T (2017) The transition from foraging to farming (7000–500 cal BC) in the SE Baltic: A re-evaluation of chronological and palaeodietary evidence from human remains. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 14 : 530 - 542. doi: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2017.06.004

Sheridan A, Cook G, Naysmith P, Marshall P, Whittle A, Clarke D, Charlton S (2017) Radiocarbon dates associated with the Scottish History and Archaeology Department, National Museums Scotland, 2015/16. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland, 17 : 192 - 195.

Hendy J, Bickle P, Copper M, Charlton S (2016) Neolithic cheese making: experimental archaeology and public engagement with replica vessels. PAST, 84 : 12 - 14.

Little A, van Gijn A, Collins T, Cooney G, Elliott B, Gilhooly B, Charlton S, Warren G (2017) Stone Dead: Uncovering Early Mesolithic Mortuary Rites, Hermitage, Ireland. Cambridge Archaeological Journal, 27 (02) : 223 - 243. doi: 10.1017/S0959774316000536

Charlton S, Alexander M, Collins M, Milner N, Mellars P, O'Connell TC, Stevens RE, Craig OE (2016) Finding Britain's last hunter-gatherers: A new biomolecular approach to ‘unidentifiable’ bone fragments utilising bone collagen. Journal of Archaeological Science, 73 : 55 - 61. doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2016.07.014

Colonese AC, Farrell T, Lucquin A, Firth D, Charlton S, Robson HK, Alexander M, Craig OE (2015) Archaeological bone lipids as palaeodietary markers. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 29 (7) : 611 - 618. doi: 10.1002/rcm.7144

Warinner C, Hendy J, Speller C, Cappellini E, Fischer R, Trachsel C, Arneborg J, Lynnerup N, Craig OE, Swallow DM, Fotakis A, Christensen RJ, Olsen JV, Liebert A, Montalva N, Fiddyment S, Charlton S, Mackie M, Canci A, Bouwman A, Rühli F, Gilbert MTP, Collins MJ (2015) Direct evidence of milk consumption from ancient human dental calculus. Scientific Reports, 4 (1) : doi: 10.1038/srep07104

Warinner C, Rodrigues JFM, Vyas R, Trachsel C, Shved N, Grossmann J, Radini A, Hancock Y, Tito RY, Fiddyment S, Speller C, Hendy J, Charlton S, Luder HU, Salazar-García DC, Eppler E, Seiler R, Hansen LH, Castruita JAS, Barkow-Oesterreicher S, Teoh KY, Kelstrup CD, Olsen JV, Nanni P, Kawai T, Willerslev E, von Mering C, Lewis CM, Collins MJ, Gilbert MTP, Rühli F, Cappellini E (2014) Pathogens and host immunity in the ancient human oral cavity. Nature Genetics, 46 (4) : 336 - 344. doi: 10.1038/ng.2906

Hendy J, Charlton S, Radini A (2013) Ancient dental plaque: An unexpected journey into the past. The Post Hole, 29 : 22 - 28.