Palesa P. Madupe

Palesa P. Madupe is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Copenhagen and a Research associate at the Human Evolution Research Institute (HERI). Her research focuses on ancient proteins in fossilized teeth to study hominin evolution, particularly Paranthropus robustus, revealing biological sex and genetic diversity. She collaborates with international teams in molecular science, chemistry, and palaeoanthropology, emphasizing sustainable sampling and decolonization of African fossil research.

Her work combines morphology and palaeoproteomics, providing insights into evolutionary relationships and genetic mutations. Key projects include analyzing 2-million-year-old enamel proteins to investigate heterozygosity and species diversity.

• Education: PhD in Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences (2024), University of Copenhagen.
• Grants: Funded by EU’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie “PUSHH” network, ERC Advanced Grant “BACKWARD,” and Novo Nordisk Foundation donations.