We still have a lot to learn about the first pandemic thousands of years ago.
Rays Jiang, associate professor in the department of global, environmental, and genomic health at the University of South Florida, digs into the Earth to find out more.
As the first genomics lab in University of South Florida, Rays Jiang lab takes on a pioneer role, as well as pushing the frontier of data-driven life sciences. Her lab is developing innovative methods and applications of omics technologies. She has published in high profile journals such as Cell, Science, and Nature Communications, and secured diverse funding sources from NIH, NSF and Gates’ foundations. Rays Jiang has a PhD in genomics from Wageningen University, the Netherlands. She has been a computational biologist at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University. She came to USF with the vision to establish one of the first hybrid labs to synthesize computational biology and experimental sciences. Her lab celebrates the spirit of inter-disciplinarity, innovation and inclusivity. She has been recognized as a globally Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate, which recognizes researchers ranking in the top 1% by citations in the field by Web of Science.
Unmasking the First Pandemic Beneath a Roman Arena
In Eastern roman empire, the first recorded pandemic began, 15 hundred years ago, under the Emperor Justinian.
Ancient historians wrote of plague sweeping through Egypt, Jerusalem, Syria, and Constantinople – the capitol of the empire.
But until now, no trace of pathogen had been found, inside the empire.
That changed in Jerash, Jordan.
Jerash was a Roman city. An impressive arena was built for chariot races and imperial spectacle. However, underneath, there is a mass grave.
We studied the teeth of the buried.
Ancient DNA revealed Yersinia pestis—the same bacterium, that caused the Black Death 8 centuries later.
Plague had been with us for thousands of years.
So why did this infection become the First Pandemic?
It wasn’t just the germ.
It wasn’t just people.
It was the world.
1500 years ago, trade connected. Armies moved. Climate stressed.
Plague is biological.
But pandemics? They are social.
Our strength—connection—is also our risk.
Read More:
[USF Health News] – USF, FAU researchers solve 1,500-year-old mystery: The bacterium behind the first pandemic
