Alumna Tatiana Tondini Publishes Article in Frontiers in Medicine

Tatiana Tondini graduated from JCU in 2022 with a B.A. in Classical Studies and a minor in History. She went on to pursue her Master’s in Archaeology at Cambridge University. Tatiana currently works as an ancient DNA laboratory technician at the University of Tübingen in Germany, and recently published an article on oncological care in ancient Egypt with the leading research publisher Frontiers in Medicine.

Tell us about your background.
I was born and raised in Garda, a small town on the shores of Lake Garda in northern Italy. In my immediate family, no one had attended university, and I myself wasn’t particularly interested in school. Despite this, I have always been fascinated by archaeology and ancient Egypt, even from a young age. In my first years of high school, I decided to follow my passion for archaeology and finally took my studies seriously. This newfound enthusiasm for learning set me on the path to pursuing a career in archaeology, eventually leading me to John Cabot University.

What made you decide to pursue a B.A. at JCU?
When I was deciding on a university to pursue my dream of becoming an archaeologist, I realized that the curriculum offered by Italian universities did not resonate with my aspirations of gaining an international experience. I approached JCU because I had a strong desire to study in English and immerse myself in an international community, which I knew would greatly enrich my experience and personal growth. JCU stood out also due to its dynamic teaching approach and amazing faculty, many of whom had experience at prestigious universities. Lastly, since I did not have an academic mentor or figure to guide my academic journey, I chose JCU because of the small class sizes, which allowed me to establish closer relationships with professors and receive their guidance. The combination of these factors made JCU the perfect choice for my bachelor’s in Classical Studies.

You also hold a Master’s in Archaeological Science from Cambridge University. How did your experience at JCU help you with your graduate studies?
Studying at John Cabot helped me immensely before, during, and after my graduate studies. First of all, JCU helped me develop strong critical thinking and research skills, which turned out to be crucial during my master’s. I was in fact already familiar with the American academic system, which requires students not only to study and memorize concepts but also to connect them and think critically to come up with their own ideas and theories. At JCU, I also improved my academic writing skills, learning how to clearly organize and present my arguments, as well as mastering fundamentals like references and citations. Additionally, JCU gave me the chance to explore new areas within archaeology and history, such as bio-archaeology, ancient Egyptian medicine, and Egyptology. This eventually inspired me to pursue an M.Phil. in Archaeological Science at Cambridge. Lastly, the help and support I received during the application process for my master’s were invaluable. Many JCU professors supported me throughout the process, and their guidance was so important for the success of my application.

You recently co-authored “Case report: Boundaries of oncological and traumatological medical care in ancient Egypt: new palaeopathological insights from two human skulls,” an academic article about cancer treatment in ancient Egypt. Tell us about it.
During my master’s I chose to specialize in Paleopathology, which is the study of diseases found on ancient human remains. As part of my master’s thesis, I analyzed two ancient Egyptian skulls which had signs of cancer. The initial scope of the study was to test non-destructive techniques with the aim of understanding how cancer affects bones. Surprisingly, during our analysis, we found several surgical cutmarks around two cancer lesions on one of the two skulls. Those cutmarks have been confirmed not to be environmental damages and have two possible explanations:

-Ancient Egyptians tried to do a surgical removal of those secondary tumors (which would make it the first recorded cancer surgical operation in history, but we cannot confirm that).

-Ancient Egyptians left those traces when examining the individual shortly after the individual passed away (this would also be remarkable as it means that the ancient Egyptians were studying cancer). 

Another important finding regards the successful treatment of a severe traumatic lesion on the other skull. According to our analysis, such a lesion was caused by a sharp object like a sword or a hatchet and it is very unlikely that the individual would have made it without proper treatment. Instead, we saw that the individual survived as the fracture healed, which means that ancient Egyptians were able to treat severe cranial fractures. After this research, my supervisor and I decided to continue the study and write an academic article, which was published in Frontiers Medicine in May. The article aroused much curiosity around the world and was reposted by many newspapers (including the New York Times, BBC, Le Figaro, der Tagespiegel, and la Repubblica). 

What JCU classes and/or professors impacted you the most and why?
My experience at JCU was made possible thanks to the hard work, passion, and dedication of many amazing people, professors, and staff members alike. Professors Govero, Corrado, Bryson, Betello, Conti, and Köhler were all extraordinary lecturers from whom I learned so much, both academically and in life. They taught me invaluable lessons, consistently pushed me to do my best, and always believed in me.. Last but not least, Professor Jones in his English composition courses, and Professor Deane, at the writing center, taught me how to put my ideas on paper accurately and concisely. I am incredibly thankful to have met all of them.

What are your plans for the future?
Right now, I am working as an ancient DNA laboratory technician at the University of Tübingen in Germany. Here, I work on extracting DNA from ancient bone samples and analyzing it to detect pathogens. This field is still relatively new to me, so I would like to further study and learn about ancient DNA!