About

Professor Dr. Christina Warinner is the Landon T. Clay Professor of Scientific Archaeology at Harvard University, holding appointments in the Departments of Anthropology and Human Evolutionary Biology. She is also a Group Leader of Microbiome Sciences at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and a Group Leader of Archaeogenetics at the Leibniz Institute for Natural Products Research and Infection Biology-HKI. Additionally, she serves as a University Professor of Microbiology in the Faculty of Biological Sciences at Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany. Her research interests encompass microbial archaeology, the human microbiome, the origins of dairy, paleodietary reconstruction, evolutionary medicine, ancient DNA, and paleoproteomics. Through her interdisciplinary work, Professor Warinner investigates the complex interactions between humans and their microbiomes over time, shedding light on ancient diets, health, and evolutionary processes. Her leadership roles at multiple prestigious institutions underscore her contributions to advancing the fields of archaeogenetics and microbiome sciences.

Research topics

• Biology
• Genetics
• Evolutionary biology
• Computer Science
• Archaeology
• Ecology
• History
• Sociology
• Geography
• Political Science
• Demography
• Ethnology
• Engineering
• Medicine
• Virology
• Data science
• Engineering ethics
• Immunology
• Public relations
• Zoology

Selected publications

• Growth promotion of milk-associated <i>Candida zeylanoides</i> by a cyclic lipopeptide produced by <i>Pseudomonas</i>

  The ISME Journal · 2026-01-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Milk has a rich microbiota that engages in complex interactions. These interactions can be mutualistic or antagonistic, shaping the microbial composition of dairy products and affecting fermentation, preservation, and product quality. In this study, we investigate the interaction between Pseudomonas bacteria and the yeast Candida zeylanoides in the context of traditional dairy fermentation. We identified a collection of cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) from Pseudomonas sp. SM4, isolated from the traditional Mongolian dairy product öröm and elucidated the structure of six CLPs belonging to the amphisin family using a combination of bioinformatic predictions, mass spectrometry, Marfey's analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. Milk-based bioassays and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing analyses revealed changes in the microbial composition of milk due to the addition of the CLP tensin A and allowed us to identify its function in promoting the growth of C. zeylanoides, a yeast commonly found in dairy environments. Through transcriptomic analysis, we obtained preliminary insights into the potential metabolic pathways that may contribute to the growth-promoting effect, which indicates a role for the glyoxylate metabolism. This represents the first report of a CLP directly stimulating yeast growth. Understanding how Pseudomonas-derived lipopeptides modulate microbial communities, particularly by supporting yeasts relevant to dairy fermentations, could inform strategies for optimizing dairy fermentation processes like kefir production and improving the stability and quality of fermented dairy products.

  PublisherDOI

• АРХЕОЛОГИЯ ДУЙНѲСУѲ САЯКАТ [Adventures in archaeological science coloring book]

  MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) · 2026-01-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Changing the Landscape of Archaeological Publishing

  Current Anthropology · 2026-02-01

  article

  Disseminating research is a key component of scholarly labor, but the costs and benefits of the current structure of academic publishing are underexamined within anthropology. This paper brings together a range of authors from across archaeology and cultural anthropology to summarize current issues in archaeological publishing and offer potential interventions at multiple scales. The paper is divided into five core topics. “Ideology” discusses the relationship between publishing and academic history, gatekeeping, and the ideology of collaboration and coauthorship. “Publishing Dynamics in North America” covers intersections between identity, authorship, and citation practices, as well as gendered patterns in publishing. “Publishing Dynamics in Latin America” presents a case study of academic publishing in Brazil and Peru, highlighting the unique challenges for archaeologists based in the Global South. “Publishing Pathways” interrogates open science and data, standards for peer review and coauthorship, and the impact of different publishing models on individual researchers. Finally, “Media Coverage” investigates bias in popular media covering archaeological research and the monetization of scientific information. We conclude with a list of multiscalar interventions for authors, peer reviewers, editors, journals, departments, institutions, and granting agencies that will improve conditions for authors and readers, emphasizing strategies that lead to collaborative, reciprocal forms of knowledge production.

  PublisherDOI

• Ancient species diversity and niche adaptation in <i>Tannerella</i> and <i>Porphyromonas</i> revealed through pangenomics

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2026-02-09

  articleOpen access

  De novo assembly of ancient and modern bacterial metagenomes can shed light on evolution and ecology of bacterial species that are challenging to culture. Tannerella and Porphyromonas are bacterial genera linked to periodontal disease, and understanding their evolution may reveal insights into their role in oral disease development. We performed pangenomic and phylogenetic analyses on a global set of isolates and metagenome-assembled genomes of the genera Tannerella (n=238) and Porphyromonas (n=976), including 66 genomes from ancient dental calculus samples (up to 14,800 years old), and modern oral samples from present-day living populations. We identify a novel species of oral Tannerella in modern and ancient humans, which we call Ca. Tannerella abscondita , that is related to and often mistaken for Tannerella forsythia but differs in its virulence repertoire. We reveal distinct niche tropism in Tannerella species and Porphyromonas pasteri , but not Porphyromonas gingivalis . There is limited phylogeographic structuring, and virulence genes are homogeneously distributed across continents and oral niches. Saliva-derived strains of T. forsythia and P. gingivalis from Oceania and T. serpentiformis and P. pasteri from Asia show enrichment of pseudogenes related to ecological niche transitions. A phylogenetic analysis of the P. gingivalis major fimbrial protein gene fimA reveals the genes cluster by genotypes, and that no ancient genes are found in genotypes I and Ib. Using de novo assembly for bacterial pangenomics improves the representation of oral genera found in reference databases and enhances our ability to study the evolutionary history of these taxa.

  PublisherDOI

• Ancient genomes from eastern Kazakhstan reveal dynamic genetic legacy of Inner Eurasian hunter-gatherers

  Science Advances · 2025-10-15

  articleOpen access

  Because of limited availability of ancient genomes, the genetic history of prehistoric Inner Asian hunter-gatherers remains incomplete, especially for eastern Kazakhstan where the Eurasian Steppe meets mountain forests of Inner Asia. Here we report genome-wide data of two Early Neolithic (EN) hunter-gatherers and 19 Middle-Late Bronze Age (MLBA) pastoralists, from the site of Koken in the Upper Irtysh River region in eastern Kazakhstan. We find that the two EN individuals differed in their genetic profiles and yet were second-degree relatives. They were genetically most similar to subsequent Neolithic individuals in the Irtysh region, while contemporaneous hunter-gatherers from the Tobol-Ishim and Upper Ob River regions had distinct genetic profiles, likely influenced by riverine geography. The Koken MLBA individuals were genetically similar to other MLBA steppe pastoralists, while genetic outliers provide evidence of two distinct trajectories of admixture with local hunter-gatherer populations. These findings illuminate the dynamic population structure of Inner Asian hunter-gatherers and their genetic legacy in subsequent pastoralist populations.

  PublisherDOI

• Biocultural Taphonomies and Analysis of an Emerging Terminal Classic (750–900 CE) Maya Deathway

  Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory · 2025-01-18 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract In bioarchaeology, funerary taphonomy and preservation become part of the biocultural narrative of the dead. We evaluate the role of these factors in reconstructing the identities of those buried in an emerging deathway, the ventrally placed legs flexed (VPLF) burial position, during the Terminal Classic (750–900/1000 CE) period at the Maya polity of Lower Dover in western Belize. The term “VPLF” describes a divergent burial practice which may have resulted from intentional binding prior to burial. In our analysis of VPLF burials ( n = 12), we use a two-step process to reconstruct the social identities and potential meaning of the burial pattern: (1) interpretation of the archaeological context based on excavation observations and biogeochemistry and (2) osteological analysis of curated individuals to reconstruct their biological profiles and post-mortem/post-excavation histories. Osteological analyses included age and sex estimation, paleopathological assessment of frailty and trauma, and skeletal modifications from cultural and taphonomic forces. Radiocarbon dating and ceramic analyses were used to date the burials. Stable and radiogenic isotopic analyses were applied to reconstruct diet and mobility for a subset of the VPLF burials. Our results show that individuals were buried in the VPLF position irrespective of age, sex, or social status, consistent with patterns at other Terminal Classic and Postclassic Maya sites, although VPLF interment may have been practiced earlier at Lower Dover. We hypothesize that the appearance of VPLF burials in the Terminal Classic period signified an ideological shift in light of emerging social and environmental pressures in the region.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The oral microbiome of King Richard III of England

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2025-09-21 · 1 citations

  preprintOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Abstract Metagenomic investigation of archaeological dental calculus has provided insights into the changing oral health, disease, and diet of past human societies, but little is known about the oral microbiota of exceptionally high-status individuals, whose diet and lifestyle sharply differed from the general population. Here we analyze the dental calculus metagenome of King Richard III of England (1452-1485) and compare it to new and previously published dental calculus metagenomes from predominantly non-elite contexts in England, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Germany spanning the Neolithic to the present. Deep sequencing and de novo assembly enabled the investigation of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from periopathogens within the genus Tannerella . DNA preservation within the dental calculus of King Richard III was found to be exceptional, yielding an extraordinarily well-preserved oral microbiota. Oral microbiome species diversity fell within the range previously observed among other northern European populations over the past 7,000 years, suggesting that a royal lifestyle and a rich diet did not substantially shift his oral microbiome composition. Reconstructed Tannerella genomes contained many virulence factors found today among periopathogens, including Tannerella forsythia . Insufficient plant and animal DNA was recovered to investigate diet, suggesting that dental calculus may not be a sufficient source of dietary DNA for dietary reconstruction, even when well-preserved. The dental calculus of King Richard III has produced one of the richest and best preserved ancient oral metagenomes studied to date and contributes to understanding the ecology and evolution of the human oral microbiome.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Streptococcus abundance and oral site tropism in humans and non-human primates reflects host and lifestyle differences

  npj Biofilms and Microbiomes · 2025-01-17 · 9 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  The genus Streptococcus is highly diverse and a core member of the primate oral microbiome. Streptococcus species are grouped into at least eight phylogenetically-supported clades, five of which are found almost exclusively in the oral cavity. We explored the dominant Streptococcus phylogenetic clades in samples from multiple oral sites and from ancient and modern-day humans and non-human primates and found that clade dominance is conserved across human oral sites, with most Streptococcus reads assigned to species falling in the Sanguinis or Mitis clades. However, minor differences in the presence and abundance of individual species within each clade differentiated human lifestyles, with loss of S. sinensis appearing to correlate with toothbrushing. Of the non-human primates, only baboons show clade abundance patterns similar to humans, suggesting that a habitat and diet similar to that of early humans may favor the growth of Sanguinis and Mitis clade species.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Microbial dynamics and <i>Pseudomonas</i> natural product production in milk and dairy products

  Natural Product Reports · 2025-01-01 · 5 citations

  reviewOpen accessCorresponding

  are found in traditional Mongolian dairy products and are common contaminants in commercial dairy products, and they can strongly impact the quality and shelf-life of dairy products. These bacteria are well known for their ability to produce a variety of secondary metabolites, including nonribosomal (lipo)peptides, which are both structurally and functionally diverse. Lipopeptides can have antimicrobial properties, act as quorum sensing molecules, and contribute to biofilm formation due to their amphiphilic nature. Although often associated with spoilage, some of these natural products can also exhibit positive effects with potential beneficial applications in the dairy industry. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the interplay between culinary fermentation and the production and activities of microbial-derived natural products.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Bronze Age <i>Yersinia pestis</i> genome from sheep sheds light on hosts and evolution of a prehistoric plague lineage

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2025-02-07 · 3 citations

  preprintOpen accessCorresponding

  Summary Most human pathogens are of zoonotic origin. Many emerged during prehistory, coinciding with domestication providing more opportunities for spillover from original host species. However, we lack direct evidence linking past animal reservoirs and human infections. Here we present a Yersinia pestis genome recovered from a 3rd millennium BCE domesticated sheep from the Eurasian Steppe belonging to the Late Neolithic Bronze Age (LNBA) lineage, until now exclusively identified in ancient humans across Eurasia. We show that this ancient lineage underwent ancestral gene decay paralleling extant lineages, but evolved under distinct selective pressures contributing to its lack of geographic differentiation. We collect evidence supporting a scenario where the LNBA lineage, unable to efficiently transmit via fleas, spread from an unidentified reservoir to humans via sheep and likely other domesticates. Collectively, our results connect prehistoric livestock with infectious disease in humans and showcase the power of moving paleomicrobiology into the zooarcheological record.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• Microbial Ecologies of Indigenous Communities

  NIH · $2.4M · 2011–2021

• Direct Proteomic Investigation Of Variable Dairying Practices

  NSF · $188k · 2015–2019

• Evolution and Ecology of the Human Oral Microbiome

  NSF · $101k · 2015–2018

Frequent coauthors

• Irina M. Velsko

  Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

  138 shared

• James A. Fellows Yates

  Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

  80 shared

• Domingo C. Salazar‐García

  Universitat de València

  79 shared

• Jessica Hendy

  University of York

  65 shared

• Alexander Hübner

  Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

  64 shared

• Cecil M. Lewis

  University of Oklahoma

  63 shared

• Courtney A. Hofman

  National Museum of Natural History

  57 shared

• Franziska Aron

  Friedrich Schiller University Jena

  50 shared

Labs

• Warinner GroupPI

Education

• Ph.D., Ancient DNA and Bioarchaeology

  University of Zurich

  2009

• M.A., Archaeology

  University of Zurich

  2005

• B.A., Archaeology

  University of Zurich

  2003

Awards & honors

• American Anthropological Association’s Exemplary Cross-Field…
• Federation of European Microbiological Societies Article Awa…
• Shanghai Archaeological Forum Research Award