During the construction of a building on the Medical College of Virginia campus of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, the East Marshall Street Well was discovered. The contents of the well included a commingled assemblage of human remains for upwards of 50 individuals dating back to the mid-19th century. Of these individuals, anthropologists estimated there were at least nine juveniles. These individuals were victims of grave robbing and were utilized for both dissection and amputation practice by the medical school, before ultimately being disposed of in the well.
With the exception of one juvenile, previous nuclear genetic research failed to re-associate the sub-adult remains into discrete individuals. In an effort to deepen understanding of the life history of the juveniles found in the well, mitochondrial-DNA analysis was performed to obtain mitochondrial haplotypes from targeted regions of the genome.
Of the remains sequenced thus far, African ancestry has been demonstrated for all juveniles. Two femora were predicted as Central-West African haplogroup L1c2b1c, while the results from other remains are pending. Phenotypic and autosomal ancestry information for the juveniles will be obtained using the MiSeq FGx sequencing system.
The mtDNA results are consistent with the adult nuclear genetic sequencing, adult mtDNA, and anthropological work that has been done on the well since its discovery. The majority of the remains in the well were assumed to be of African origin, due to a dark history of grave robbers targeting the burial sites of enslaved people; though DNA also demonstrated that several adult individuals of European ancestry were also present. Mitochondrial analysis of the juveniles has, thus far, narrowed the maternal line origin point to West-Central Africa, which echoes historical accounts of the origin of the enslaved in Richmond, Virginia.
ISHI Student Ambassador, Martin MacStudy, will present the ongoing analysis of the ancestry of the juvenile remains during the poster sessions this year. We chatted with Marty to learn a little more, and if you’ll be at ISHI this September, be sure to stop by during the poster sessions to learn more!
Briefly describe your work/area of interest.
One area of forensic science that has always interested me is the use of DNA to help solve missing persons cases. When I entered graduate school and was given the opportunity to join the East Marshall Street Well Project (EMSWP), it felt like a perfect coincidence of what I am interested in and the ability to gain hands-on experience. The East Marshall Street Well refers to a commingled assemblage of human remains dating back to the mid-19th century discovered during the construction of a medical sciences building in Richmond, Virginia. One aspect of the EMSWP is to re-associate these remains into discrete individuals, thus giving them the respect and dignity they were denied in life and death. Nuclear DNA methods have been exhausted in this effort, allowing for 16 individuals to be re-associated. However, minimal information has been gained on the juvenile individuals that were present within the well.
My research has been focused on using mitochondrial DNA analysis to gain information about the juveniles’ life history. This research has utilized Sanger sequencing and next-generation sequencing (NGS) to determine the haplotypes and biogeographic ancestry of the remains. The NGS was accomplished using the MiSeq FGx™ Sequencing System.
The key collaborators on this project are members of the EMSWP including Dr. Tal Simmons, Dr. Baneshwar Singh, and Dr. Filipa Simāo. The Family Representative Council (FRC) is also an integral role of the EMSWP, as they have set forth the recommendations for research, and how to conduct it in a way that is respectful to the ancestral remains. The guidance and support from all of these individuals has been integral in my efforts towards this project.
The remains were sampled and DNA was extracted prior to amplifying sections of the control region within the mitochondrial genome. Samples that were successfully amplified moved on to purification, then Sanger sequencing. Currently, most of the remains which have had successful amplification have undergone Sanger sequencing, with only one more sequencing required. Samples were chosen for the MiSeqFGx based on quantitation values, as well as remains that had promising mitochondrial profiles. Thus far, four bones have been observed to have the same Sub-Saharan African haplotype. Ancestry can be predicted for other bones based off markers from the NGS run on the MiSeqFGx. Additionally, phenotypic traits, like hair and eye color, have been obtained for some remains.
How did you become interested in this work? Why did this particular project appeal?
I joined the East Marshall Street Well Project before I even started graduate school. When I saw the opening for a position in the Forensic Anthropology lab on-campus working on the EMSWP, I looked further into it and realized it was what I wanted to do. As I’ve mentioned, missing person identification is extremely fascinating to me. While the EMSWP isn’t exactly work on missing persons, it feels similar in some regards. The importance of the EMSWP has never been lost on me, ever since I’ve joined the project. These individuals were denied dignity in life and in death, and working to give back that respect has been nothing short of an honor. When it was time to decide on a research project for my graduate studies, I knew I wanted it to still be part of the EMSWP. Specifically working on the juvenile remains came as a result of research efforts from previous graduate students. Their work focused on nuclear DNA, and there was very little information gained on the juveniles found in the well. Still wanting to honor them by gleaning any information about their life history, my committee and I decided to see if the mitochondrial DNA could tell us anything.
What has been the most rewarding part of working on this project?
The most rewarding part of working on this project is the knowledge that I am doing my best to respect the ancestors found within the well. There’s been an effort, specifically in recent years, to remember and raise awareness about the EMSW. This ranges from symposiums and exhibits being held at VCU to going out and teaching local high school students about the well. I have attended each of these events, and I always leave admiring the dedication people have to respecting and honoring the individuals found in the well. This project has an element of social impact, and knowing that drives me to work even harder.
Are there any further areas of research you think are needed based on your findings?
In the scope of the EMSWP, I do not think my research will spark further research. The ancestors will be reinterred and research will cease at that point. However, it is possible that the findings of my project can spark further research for communities that may encounter similar situations as the East Marshall Street Well.
How do you hope your research will be applied in real-world scenarios?
I hope to see my research show others that information can still be obtained, despite sub-par conditions. The nuclear DNA of the juvenile remains was largely uninformative due to it being highly degraded. Although nuclear DNA is often considered a “gold standard”, mitochondrial DNA can provide insightful observations as well.
