Biography

  • Research technician for the palaeontology/geochemistry research group - 2013-present
  • PhD Palaeobiochemistry (Univesity of Manchester). Thesis title: Biomarkers and their application to the study of pigments in the fossil record - 2009-2013
  • MBiolSci Zoology (University of Sheffield). Thesis title: Using geometric morphometrics to investigate sexual dimorphism in the stegosaurian dinosaur Kentrosaurus aethiopicus - 2009

Research interests

My main research interests lie in trying to understand the chemical preservation of fossilised soft tissue structures such as skin, feathers and insect cuticles. I look into what is preserved and why, and how the preservation changes over time and with different environmental conditions. Until recently it was assumed that the iconic soft tissue fossils were just trace fossils and bore no chemical resemblance to the former organism, however recent work carried out by a collaborative team from Manchester University and the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) have shown that this is not the case in their analysis of the Thermopolis Archaeopteryx (Bergmann et al. 2010).

We use a variety of organic and inorganic geochemical techniques to study the physical and chemical composition of a fossil, including Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (Py-GCMS), Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy (FTIR), Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) and Synchrotron Rapid Scanning X-Ray Fluorescence (SRS-XRF). Each technique gives you different information about the composition of the fossil and when used in combination they can be used to demonstrate whether the preserved chemistry is original to the organism.

Bergmann, U., R. W. Morton, et al. (2010). Archaeopteryx feathers and bone chemistry fully revealed via synchrotron imaging. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107(20): 9060-9065

Professional affiliations

  • Palaeontological Association (PALASS)

Publications

  • Barden H. E., U. Bergmann, N. P. Edwards, V. M. Egerton, P. L. Manning, S. Perry, A. van Veelen, R. A. Wogelius, B. E. van Dongen. 2014. Bacteria or melanosomes? A geochemical analysis of micro-bodies on a tadpole from the Oligocene Enspel Formation of Germany. Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments . http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12549-014-0177-5
  • N.P. Edwards, P. L. Manning, U. Bergmann, P. L. Larson, B. E. van Dongen, W. I. Sellers, S. M. Webb, D. Sokaras, R. Alonso-Mori, K. Ignatyev, H. E. Barden, A. van Veelen, J. AnnĂ©, V. M. Egerton and R. A. Wogelius. 2014. Leaf metallome preserved over 50 million years. Metallomics. 6, 774-782. http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c3mt00242j
  • Edwards N.P., H.E. Barden, B.E. van Dongen, P.L. Manning, P.L. Larson, U. Bergmann, W.I. Sellers, R.A. Wogelius. Subm. Trace metals as a biomarker for plant derived metal binding compounds in fossil leaf material (Green River Formation, USA). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
  • Manning P.L., N.P. Edwards, R.A. Wogelius, U. Bergmann, H.E. Barden, P.L. Larson, D. Schwarz-Wings, V. M. Egerton, D. Sokaras, R.A. Mori, W.I. Sellers. 2013. Synchrotron-based chemical imaging reveals plumage patterns in 150 million year old early bird. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry. 28, 1024-1030. http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/ c3ja50077b
  • Barden H.E., R.A. Wogelius, D. Li, P.L. Manning, N.P. Edwards, B.E. van Dongen. 2011. Morphological and geochemical evidence of eumelanin preservation in the feathers of the Early Cretaceous bird Gansus yumenensis. PLoS ONE. 6, e25494. http:// dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0025494
  • Wogelius R.A., P.L. Manning, H.E. Barden, N.P. Edwards, S.M. Webb, W.I. Sellers, K.G. Taylor, P.L. Larson, P. Dodson, H.L. You. 2011. Trace metals as biomarkers for eumelanin pigment in the fossil record. Science. 333, 1622-1626. http:// dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1205748
  • Edwards N.P., H.E. Barden, B.E. van Dongen, P.L. Manning, U. Bergmann, W.I. Sellers, R.A. Wogelius. 2011. Infra-red mapping resolves soft tissue preservation in 50 million year old reptile skin. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 278, 3209-3218. http:// dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2011.0135
  • Barden H.E. and S.C.R. Maidment. 2011. Evidence for sexual dimorphism in the stegosaurian dinosaur Kentrosaurus aethiopicus from the Upper Jurassic of Tanzania. Journal of Vertebrate Paleaontology. 31, 641-651. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2011.557112

Recent presentations

  • July 2012 - Barden H. E., Withers P., Behnsen J., Bergmann U., Manning P. L., Wogelius R. A., van Dongen B. E. Geochemical analysis of the pigments and affinity of the calcareous alga Solenopora jurassica. The annual meeting of the British Organic Geochemistry Society. University of Plymouth.
  • December 2012 - Barden H. E., M. J. Leng, N. P. Edwards, W. I. Sellers, S. M. Webb, U. Bergmann, P. L. Manning, R. A. Wogelius, B. E. van Dongen. The Jurassic beetroot stone: a pink and white puzzle revisited. The Palaeontological Association Annual Meeting. University College Dublin
  • May 2012 - Barden H. E., N. P. Edwards, W. I. Sellers, S. M. Webb, U. Bergmann, P. L. Manning, R. A. Wogelius, B. E. van Dongen. The Jurassic beetroot stone: an old pink and white puzzle revisited. Progressive Palaeontology. University of Cambridge
  • December 2011 - Barden H. E., R. A. Wogelius, P. L. Manning, N. P. Edwards, B. E. van Dongen. Geochemical and morphological evidence of melanin preservation in the feathers of the early Cretaceous bird Gansus yumenensis. School of Earth Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences postgraduate conference. University of Manchester
  • November 2011 - Barden H. E., R. A. Wogelius, P. L. Manning, N. P. Edwards, B. E. van Dongen. Geochemical and morphological evidence of melanin preservation in the feathers of the early Cretaceous bird Gansus yumenensis. Society of vertebrate paleontology. las Vegas, Nevada

Posters

  • December 2012 - Barden H. E., M. J.Leng, N. P. Edwards, W. I. Sellers, S. M. Webb, U. Bergmann, P. L. Manning, R. A. Wogelius, B. E. van Dongen. The Jurassic beetroot stone: a pink and white puzzle revisited. University of Manchester Postgraduate Research Conference. University of Manchester Museum
  • Barden, H. E., N. P. Edwards, R. A. Wogelius, P. L. Manning, 2011. The search for fossil colour using SEM and EDX. Institute of Physics Condensed Matter and Materials Physics conference. Lancashire County cricket club
  • Barden H. E., B. E. van Dongen, R. A. Wogelius, P. L. Manning. 2010. The use of Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy techniques in palaeobiochemistry. School of Earth Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences postgraduate conference. University of Manchester
  • Barden H. E., R. A. Wogelius, D. Li, P. L. Manning, N. P. Edwards, B. E. van Dongen. 2011 Organic geochemical analyses reveal original eumelanic preservation within the fossilised feathers of the Cretaceous bird Gansus yumenensis. British Organic Geochemistry Conference. University of Swansea

Awards

  • July 2013 - 1st place presentation award at the British Organic Geochemistry conference at the University of Plymouth
  • May 2012 - 2nd place presentation award at the Progressive Palaeontology conference at the University of cambridge
  • December 2011 - 2nd place presentation award at the School of Earth Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences postgraduate conference, University of Manchester
  • January 2011 - Jurassic Foundation grant to continue with work on the analysis of fossilized soft tissue using SRS-XRF