Draft:Anna Dhody
American forensic anthropologist and museum curator
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Anna N. Dhody is an American forensic anthropologist, museum curator, and science communicator. She is the founder and executive director of the Dhody Research Institute, a nonprofit research organization dedicated to the scientific study of historical medical collections. Dhody previously served as curator of the Mütter Museum and director of the Mütter Research Institute at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.[1]
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Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest guideline, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. RabidCabbage (talk) 17:43, 19 March 2026 (UTC)
Anna N. Dhody | |
|---|---|
| Known for | Research on historical medical specimens and pathogen DNA |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Forensic anthropology, museum studies |
| Institutions | Mütter Museum; Dhody Research Institute |
Early life and education
Dhody developed an early interest in archaeology and museums after visiting the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology as a child. She later studied archaeology and biological anthropology before specializing in forensic anthropology and museum collections research.
Career
Early career
Early in her career Dhody worked as an osteologist at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University, assisting with the analysis and repatriation of human remains. She also participated in forensic anthropology work in Peru with the United Nations Development Programme, analyzing human remains related to victims of political violence.
Mütter Museum
Dhody joined the Mütter Museum in 2004 and later became curator and director of the Mütter Research Institute. At the museum she oversaw collections of anatomical specimens and historical medical artifacts and promoted research using preserved tissues and historical medical materials.[1] While curator, she oversaw the acquisition and curation of the remains of Carol Orzel, among other projects.
She also participated in archaeological investigations including the excavation and study of human remains from the Arch Street burial ground in Philadelphia.[2]
Dhody Research Institute
In 2024 Dhody founded the Dhody Research Institute[1], a nonprofit organization dedicated to research involving historical medical collections and museum specimens. The institute collaborates with museums and archives to conduct scientific analysis of historical artifacts and biological materials, including research on historical pathogens and vaccines.[3]
Research
Dhody has collaborated on several scientific publications examining historical disease specimens and pathogen DNA. She was a co-author of a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine analyzing Vibrio cholerae DNA recovered from preserved tissue from the Philadelphia cholera outbreak of 1849.[4]
She was also a co-author of a study published in Genome Biology that reconstructed viral genomes from 19th‑century smallpox vaccination materials in order to study the origins and diversity of early vaccine strains.[5]
Media and public engagement
Dhody has frequently appeared in media discussing forensic anthropology and the history of medicine. Her work and career have been featured in publications including The New Yorker[6], The Philadelphia Inquirer[7][1], WHYY[8][3], Hyperallergic[9], Time[10], The Guardian[11], and Smithsonian Magazine[12]. She has collaborated with authors Megan Rosenbloom and Noah Scalin.
Selected media appearances:[13]
- Ancient Aliens, History Channel
- Mysteries at the Museum, Travel Channel
- Secrets (previously Treasures Decoded), Smithsonian Channel
- Dark Matters, Twisted But True, Discovery Channel
- Somebody's Gotta Do It, CNN, hosted by Mike Rowe
- Radio Rounds, WYSO (NPR affiliate)
Selected academic publications
- Devault, A. M.; Golding, G. B.; Waglechner, N.; Dhody, A. N.; et al. (2014).
“Second-Pandemic Strain of Vibrio cholerae from the Philadelphia Cholera Outbreak of 1849.” New England Journal of Medicine.[4]
- Duggan, A. T.; Klunk, J.; Porter, A. F.; Dhody, A. N.; et al. (2020).
“The origins and genomic diversity of American Civil War Era smallpox vaccine strains.” Genome Biology.[5]