Jessica Hendy received a BA in Anthropology and Ancient History and a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Auckland in 2010. In 2015 she was awarded her PhD from the University of York, where she explored the application of ancient protein analysis to understanding ancient diets and disease. In her postdoctoral work, Jessica has been exploring the health and diets of individuals during the 18th and 19th century British Industrial Revolution through the proteomic and metagenomic analysis of ancient dental calculus, as well as the mechanisms of growth and mineralization of dental plaque and calculus. 

As a researcher in the Department of Archaeogenetics, Jessica is interested in developing and applying proteomic methods to a diverse range of multidisciplinary projects. In particular, she is focused on exploring the potential of ancient proteins as dietary biomarkers, with a particular emphasis on understanding dairy processing and fermentation. In 2016 she received a Max Planck Society Donors Award to study traditionally-made dairy products and characterize their unique microbial fingerprints.

Publications

Hendy J, Colonese AC, Franz I, Fernandes R, Fischer R, Orton D, Spindler L, Anvari J, Stroud E, Biehl PF, Speller C, Boivin N, Mackie M, Jersie-Christensen R, Olsen JV, Collins MJ, Craig OE, Rosenstock E. (2018). Ancient Proteins from Ceramic Vessels at Catalhoyuk West reveal the hidden cuisine of early farmers. Nature Communications, 9: 4064

Hendy J, Warinner C, Bouwman A, Collins MJ, Fiddyment S, Fischer R, Hagan R,  Hofman C, Holst M, Chaves R, Klaus L, Larson G, Mackie M, McGrath K, Mundorff A, Radini A, Rao H, Trachsel C, Velsko IM, Speller CF. (2018) Proteomic evidence of dietary sources in ancient dental calculus. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 285: 2018-977. 

Hendy J*, Welker F*, Demarchi B, Speller C, Warinner C, Colllins M. (2018). A Guide to Ancient Protein Studies. Nature Ecology and Evolution. *Equal author contribution. 

Colonese A, Hendy J, Lucquin A, Carrer F, Gruber R, Speller C, Collins M, Kühn M, Craig OE. (2017) New criteria for the molecular identification of cereal grains associated with archaeological artefacts. Scientific Reports, 7: 6633  

Mackie M, Hendy J, Collins MJ, Speller C. (2017) Preservation of the metaproteome: Investigating protein variability in ancient dental calculus. Science and Technology in Archaeological Research. 3(1): 74-86 

Soncin S, Hendy J, Speller C, Manzi G & Tafuri M. (2016) Diet and Health in Middle Bronze Age Italy: a metaproteomic analysis of human dental calculus in two case-studies. 2016 IMEKO International Conference on Metrology for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, Torino, Italy.

Hendy J. (2016). Archaeological Detection, In C. Donnelly & M. Kehler (Eds.), Oxford Companion to Cheese. Oxford University Press

Kendall R, Hendy J, Collins MJ, Millard A, Gowland R (2016). Poor preservation of antibodies in archaeological human bone and dentine. Science and Technology in Archaeological Research, 1: 15-24

Hendy J, Collins MJ, Teoh KY, Ashford DA, Thomas-Oates J, Donoghue HD, Pap I, Minnikin DE, Spigelman M, and Buckley M. (2016). The challenge of identifying tuberculosis proteins in archaeological tissues. Journal of Archaeological Science, 66: 146-153.

Ziesemer KA, Mann AE, Sankaranarayanan K, Schroeder H, Ozga AT, Brandt BW, Zaura E, Waters-Rist A, Hoogland M, Salazar Garcia DC, Aldenderfer M, Speller C, Hendy J, Weston DA, MacDonald SJ, Thomas GH, Collins MJ, Lewis, Jr CM, Hofman C, Warinner C. (2015) Intrinsic challenges in ancient microbiome reconstruction using 16S rRNA gene amplification. Scientific Reports, 5: 16498

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. (2014) Direct evidence of milk consumption from ancient human dental calculus. Scientific Reports, 4: 7104. *Equal author contribution

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-Garcia DC, Eppler E, Seiler R, Hansen, LH, Alfredo J, Castruita S, Barkow-Oesterreicher S, Yik Teoh K,  Kelstrup CD, Olsen JV, Nanni P, Kawai T, Willerslev E, von Mering C, Lewis Jr 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

Magazine Articles 

Warinner C, Hendy J (2017). Ancient Cultures: The Archaeology of Dairy and the Enduring Legacy of ‘Heirloom’ Microbes. Mælkeritidende. 

Hendy J, Bickle P, Copper M, Charlton S. (2016) Neolithic cheese making: experimental archaeology and public engagement with replica vessels. PAST: The Newsletter of the Prehistoric Society. Nov. 2016 

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