Dr Charlotte Inchley, Postdoctoral Researcher

Email: charlotte.inchley@oum.ox.ac.uk

Research summary

My research focuses on recuration and alpha taxonomy of the Denny lice collection and archive, obtained for the museum in 1871 and largely untouched since then. Notably including Darwin’s South American Lice from extinct Fuegian and Chonos tribes, collected during the Beagle Voyage. Extraction of blood meal still contained in these lice and the use of ancient DNA sequencing methods will shed light on the genetics of these tribes, their lifestyles, and their place within the migration of the first colonists of the Americas. Potentially also containing un-described species of lice, and extinct species, the collection is of great historical importance.

Previously my research included in-depth statistical analysis of whole genome sequences of human populations from all over the world, in order to identify signals of natural selection. The Estonian Biocentre Human Genome Diversity Panel (EGDP), a large dataset of 483 high coverage human genomes from 148 populations worldwide (125 of which were new to genomic study), was created to include many understudied groups such as populations in South East Asia and Siberia. Main findings included candidates for selection in Northern Siberian populations relating to high animal fat diets and heat production requirements.

Biography

• PhD Biological Anthropology – "Evidence of Ancient and Recent Selection in Diet Related Genes Revealed in a Global Set of Whole Genome Sequences" (Cambridge University, 2016)
• MSc Taxonomy and Biodiversity (Imperial College London, 2012)
• BSc Zoology (Aberystwyth University, 2011)

Publications

Copper plate illustrations by Henry Denny, in the archive material of the collection

Eichstaedt CA, Pagani L, Inchley CE, et al. (2017) Evidence of Early-Stage Selection on EPAS1 and GPR126 Genes in Andean High Altitude Populations. Scientific Reports. 7:13042.

Inchley CE, Larbey CDA, Shwan NAA, et al. (2016) Selective sweep on human Amylase genes postdates the split with Neanderthals. Scientific Reports. 6:37198.

Pagani L, Lawson DJ, Inchley CE, et al. (2016) Genomic analyses inform on migration events during the peopling of Eurasia. Nature. 538(7624):238-242.

Clemente FJ, Cardona A, Inchley CE, et al. (2014) A Selective Sweep on a Deleterious Mutation in CPT1A in Arctic Populations. American Journal of Human Genetics. 95(5):584-589.

Ellison A, Jones J, Inchley CE, et al. (2013) Choosy males could help explain androdioecy in a selfing fish. The American Naturalist. 181(6):855-62.

One of the drawers of the Denny collection, comprising over 3000 specimens of lice from many host taxa

Slide mounted Pediculus mjoebergi louse from the spider monkey