2020 was a really difficult year. Many of us have experienced several delays with regard to sampling, fieldwork, laboratory analysis, library access, and so on.

Since MEDICAL has started last March, I have experienced all of them. 

Nevertheless, I was able to go ahead with my research and the good news is:

-MEDICAL project was presented at the EAA Virtual Annual Meeting (24 – 30 August 2020) and at the Pitt-Rivers Archaeological Science Seminars (4th December 2020) at Cambridge University.

-Half of the sampling collection was done, and I have already started to process the first samples!

-Literature review is proceeding well, and I have already started the modern reference collection

-The outreach activity with Italian schools was also activated starting in May. I am really pleased that high school teachers have found the topic very interesting. In fact, my goal is not only to present the MEDICAL project to young students but also to bring the research world closer to them and raise awareness to Hansen’s disease (talking about how the disease was perceived in the Medieval period and nowadays), encouraging the debate and changing our perspective.  

I really hope that 2021 will be a positive year for everyone!