Caitlin Colleary

I am a postdoctoral fellow at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

My research focuses on the preservation and degradation of biomolecules in mammoths and dinosaurs. Identifying original organic material in fossils has extraordinary implications for interpreting past life and ecosystems and exploring how animals are related. Understanding how these ancient biomolecules are altered over millions of years allows these interpretations to be made. My Masters focused on the chemical preservation and alteration of fossil melanin to reconstruct the colors of ancient animals.

I have my PhD from Virginia Tech and my Masters from the University of Bristol.

I am also a member of the Palaeocast team.