Biography
I am currently a PhD student (2021 – present) in Biological Anthropology at the University of Cambridge, where I study high-altitude adaptations in ancient Tibetan populations as part of the Harding Distinguished Postgraduate Scholar Programme (2021 cohort Harding Distinguished Postgraduate Scholars Programme | (cam.ac.uk)). I completed my M.A. and B.A. in Archaeology at Sichuan University, focusing on skeletal analysis and gaining fieldwork experience in Yunnan, Tibet, and archaeological surveys in Sichuan, Chongqing, Henan, and Shanxi, China.
Research
My PhD research explores how ancient Tibetan populations adapted to the extreme conditions of high-altitude environments, particularly focusing on hypoxia and cold. By analyzing skeletal traits such as body size and limb proportions, I seek to understand the physical adaptations that enabled these communities to survive and thrive in such challenging climates. Additionally, I investigated how cultural practices, including herding, farming, and patterns of mobility—shaped these adaptations over time. Using advanced methods like 3D imaging and biomechanical analysis, I aim to reveal the complex interplay between environmental pressures and human adaptability. Through my work, I hope to contribute to a broader understanding of how humans have historically managed to endure in some of the most demanding environments on Earth. This research not only offers insights into human adaptability and variability but also deepens our knowledge of the strategies that ancient populations employed to sustain life in high-altitude settings.
Key Publications
Research Papers (* denotes major contributions)
*Cao, D., Crema, E. R., & Pomeroy, E. (2024). Estimating intralimb proportions for commingled remains. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.3326
Yi, B., Yuan, H., Wang, T., Cao, D., Yang, Y., & Hu, Y. (2024). Life history of a high-class noblewoman from the late Shu state in the Chengdu Plain during the Eastern Zhou period (770-221 BC): Childhood stresses and stable life. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 34(1)
Tao, L., Yuan, H., Zhu, K., Liu, X., Guo, J., Min, R., He, H., Cao, D., Yang, X., Zhou, Z., Wang, R., Zhao, D., Ma, H., Chen, J., Zhao, J., Li, Y., He, Y., Suo, D., Zhang, R., Li, S., Li, L., Yang, F., Li, H., Zhang, L., Jin, L., & Wang, C.-C. (2023). Ancient genomes reveal millet farming-related demic diffusion from the Yellow River into southwest China. Current Biology, 33(22), 4995-5002.e7.
Lu, H., Li, Z., Ciren, C., Cao, D., Gao, X., & Li, L. (2022). Sding Chung: An early multi-burial cave site on the Tibetan Plateau. Antiquity, 96(387), 745-753.
* Yuan, H., Gu, W., Wei, Q., Wu, Q., Ding, L., & Cao, D. (2022). Analysis of dental caries in the Yangshao population at the Qingtai site, Zhengzhou city. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 41(2), 226-236.
Newsletter
Cao, D. (2017, November 17). Seeing human through bones: A multi-dimensional perspective of ancient human life: A summary of the second "Annual Meeting of the Osteoarchaeology Committee of the Chinese Archaeological Society." China Cultural Relics News, (006).
Teaching and Supervisions
Primary Supervisor: Dr Emma Pomeroy
