oxford university anthropology phd

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DPhil in Anthropology University of Oxford

Course options

Qualification.

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

University of Oxford

• TUITION FEES
• ENTRY REQUIREMENT
• UNIVERSITY INFO

Course summary

The DPhil in Anthropology is the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography’s advanced research degree, and is awarded to candidates who have completed a substantial original piece of research in the field.

The DPhil in Anthropology is the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography’s advanced research degree, and is awarded to candidates who have completed a substantial original piece of research in the field. Anthropology - the study of humans - is a very diverse field and a wide range of research foci are reflected within the activities and structure of the department (see the description of the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography and its constituent units). DPhil students in the department research topics across this wide range of research foci, including migration and migrant populations, social and cultural influences on medical practice and health, material culture and its representation in museums, human cooperation and pro-social behaviour, the evolution of human behaviour, human adaptations and interactions with the environment and technology, and the huge range of topics that fall under the social anthropological concerns of learning about different populations’ versions of the world and relating them to each other.

The programme provides training and practice in developing research skills, especially through fieldwork with human subjects, though this is not compulsory. It also offers practice in analysing, interpreting and writing up research-related materials, and in presenting such materials in seminar-type formats. Upon successful completion of the course students will have developed the skills and a body of work that qualifies them to work as researchers within their chosen area.

Course outline

Most applicants are admitted as Probationer Research Students (PRS) and are expected to complete the degree in 3-4 years (6-8 years part-time). In the first year students attend weekly PRS seminars which provide training in research and writing as well as research presentation and critique; during this period you will develop and begin work on your thesis topic.

You will be admitted to the course as a Probationer Research Student (PRS), unless you already hold an Oxford MPhil degree in anthropology and are continuing research in the area of your MPhil thesis. Oxford MPhil students may be admitted directly with full DPhil student status.

If you are admitted with PRS status, you will have to apply to transfer to full DPhil student status by the end of the first year for full-time students or the end of the second year for part-time students. Students who are successful at transfer will also be expected to apply for and gain confirmation of DPhil status, to show that your work continues to be on track. Both milestones will involve submission of a c.20,000-word document and an interview with two assessors (other than your supervisor) and therefore provide important experience for the final oral examination. This will normally occur by the 9th term of full-time students and by the 18th term for part-time students.

Graduate destinations

Many graduates from the course enter teaching and research. Others go on to work in government, policy-making, public bodies, larger private companies, development agencies, NGOs and other organisations.

Tuition fees

• Afghanistan
• Antigua & Barbuda
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Burkina Faso
• Central African Republic
• Congo (Democratic Republic)
• Czech Republic
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Ivory Coast
• Korea DPR (North Korea)
• Liechtenstein
• Marshall Islands
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Northern Ireland
• Palestinian Authority
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Puerto Rico
• Republic of Ireland
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Saudi Arabia
• Sierra Leone
• Solomon Islands
• South Africa
• South Korea
• South Sudan
• St. Kitts & Nevis
• Switzerland
• Trinidad & Tobago
• Turkmenistan
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Vatican City
• Western Samoa

£ 29,140 per year

Tuition fees shown are for indicative purposes and may vary. Please check with the institution for most up to date details.

University information

University league table, campus address.

University of Oxford, University Offices, Wellington Square, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 2JD, England

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1st out of 24

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Doctoral Research

We are open to enquiries from students who wish to study for a DPhil (the Oxford equivalent of a PhD) in the field of Biological Anthropology. You should first identify the research areas you want to work in and a potential supervisor or supervisors. You should then get in touch with them to discuss possible projects and funding options.

Students are advised to choose an area/topic of interest first and then contact the relevant supervisor or supervisors to discuss their project before submitting an application.

How to Apply

All prospective candidates must make their application through the University’s Graduate Studies Office, and are advised to consult the University’s Graduate Studies Prospectus beforehand. All applications are processed initially by the Graduate Studies Office, and must not be made directly to us.

• Graduate admissions

Prospective students will need to select a department of the University in order to enrol for doctoral study.  You may approach a Bioanth faculty to be a supervisor. The following departments may consider  supervision by a Bioanth faculty:

• School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography
• School of Archaeology
• Department of Zoology

If you are interested in working with a researcher you should contact them directly with a brief outline of a possible research topic. Contact details are on linked profile pages.

Funding Opportunities

We do not normaly offer student funding, but the following weblinks may be useful:

• Graduate Scholarships (University, College and External)
• Fees, funding and scholarship search
• Graduate Funding in the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography
• Graduate Funding in the Department of Zoology
• Graduate Funding in the School of Archaeology
• The University of Oxford Doctoral Training Centre

Current Students

Why study with us.

The University of Oxford offers a supportive, high quality, interdisciplinary research environment. Our network represent a range of disciplines and research interests, and students are encouraged to take part in a variety of Bioanth-sponsored activities and events. We believe students are very important to the research and learning environment and that they in turn benefit by improving their academic and other professional skills.

Course details

Human diversity: an introduction to anthropology.

Enrolment for this course has now closed. You may be interested in the following courses, available to book now: Digital Diplomacy: Adapting to our Modern World Culture & Conversation - How to Navigate Intercultural Communication

What does it mean to be human? How is human diversity expressed across societies worldwide? Anthropology has investigated these questions through in-depth ethnographic studies in the often-unfamiliar day-to-day contexts of a world that is not one’s own. We will draw upon the experience of ethnographers to better understand the diverse ways in which people conceptualise, organise, and engage with their realities. 

The theme of this course is ‘making the strange familiar and the familiar strange’. Beyond looking at examples of unique cultural practices from a range of global and historical cross-cultural contexts, we will analyse the cultural meaning behind our most banal everyday activities. We investigate how complex concepts like kinship, identity or religion can serve as tools to dissect how societies endow aspects of their lives with value. We will also have the opportunity to gain an insight into how objects have been used to represent “the other” through our visit to the Pitt Rivers Museum and experiment with the principal method of anthropology; participant observation, while experiencing the peculiar Oxford tradition of punting. 

This course is part of The Oxford Experience summer school.

Programme details

Seminars meet each weekday morning, with afternoons free for course-related field trips, individual study, or exploring the many places of interest in and around the city.

Monday We will start the course by collaboratively defining Anthropology and discussing its aims, methods and areas of interest.  Under the theme of ‘making the strange familiar and the familiar strange’, we will apply an ethnographic lens to our everyday reality. Using a documentary that presents how Europeans live through an outsider perspective, we will try to find the cultural and social meaning behind things we do on an everyday basis.

Tuesday Today, we aim to make the strange familiar. We explore some remarkable cultural and social practices around the world while familiarizing ourselves with some of the most important basic concepts of the discipline. Kinship, animism, witchcraft, and indigenous worldviews will be discussed and their utility as tools of analysis highlighted.  We will also focus on a specific cultural milieu, that of the Toraja tribe of Indonesia. The tutor will present on their experience of participating in a week-long funeral ceremony with the tribe, and we will analyse the different aspects of the ritual. 

Wednesday Today, we get more practical and learn the basics of producing an ethnography, the main output of an anthropologist’s work. We will talk about the different forms ethnographic data collection can take while discussing contemporary directions in the discipline. We will also delve into the practical challenges and ethical dilemmas of conducting fieldwork. Participants will be invited to consider their own research project, relying on the tools acquired during the class, all the time reflecting on what it means to produce ethnographic knowledge.

Thursday We will visit Oxford’s Pitt Rivers Museum to learn about representation and the limits of cross-cultural comparisons. We will observe the logic behind classifying objects and get an insight into the work of curators. Participants will then have the chance to try the iconic student activity of Oxford; punting, as an optional afternoon activity.

Friday We will delve into identity, migration, ethnicity, and multiculturism. Through the introduction of my own doctoral research project on migrant communities in London, we will discuss how Anthropology can be adapted to an urban setting not far from ‘home’.  In the last session of the course, each participant will be encouraged to discuss a cultural experience they have had during their travels or in their everyday lives that they may now view differently because of the insights gained during the course. 

Field Trip Destination: Pitt Rivers Museum

Website:  www.prm.ox.ac.uk

Excursion Rating: Easy - up to an hour’s walk on even ground or less than half an hour’s walk on uneven/unpaved ground.

Recommended reading

Eriksen, Thomas Hylland (2015). Small Places, Large Issues: An Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology . Pluto Press.

Please note there are no sources of funding (scholarships, bursaries, etc) available for applicants.

All fees are charged on a per week, per person basis.

Please be aware that all payments made via non-UK credit/debit cards and bank accounts are subject to the exchange rate on the day they are processed.

Payment terms

• If enrolling online: full payment by credit/debit card at the time of booking.
• If submitting an enrolment form : full payment online by credit/debit card or via bank transfer within 30 days of invoice date.

Supplementary costs

• Extended stay fee: Participants staying multiple, consecutive weeks are offered bed and breakfast accommodation for the Saturday night between their courses. The extended stay rates are charged on a per person basis, depending on your enrolment accommodation. An invoice will be emailed alongside your confirmation of enrolment. 
• Excursion fee where applicable: £5-130. This fee is built into the above course fees and will not require a separate payment. If your course includes a day-long excursion, you may need to make your own lunch arrangements.
• Course transfer fee: Please note that course transfers may be permitted in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the programme administrator, up to the 1 May 2024. In accordance with our  Terms and Conditions , an administration fee of £50 will be charged.
• Any ticketed activities, as outlined in the Social Programme.

Cancellations and refunds

1. Cancellation by you

Participants who wish to cancel must inform the Programme Administrator in writing: by email to  [email protected] , or by post to The Oxford Experience, OUDCE, 1 Wellington Square, OXFORD, OX1 2JA, UK.

The following cancellation and refund policy applies in all cases:

Cancellation within 14 days of online enrolment / payment of fees – full refund of all fees paid. 

• Cancellations received up to and including 30 April 2024 – OUDCE will retain an administration fee of £100 per week booked; all other fees paid will be refunded.
• Cancellations received between 1-31 May 2024 – OUDCE will retain 60% of the fees paid; the remaining 40% of fees paid will be refunded.
• Cancellations received on and after 1 June 2024 - no refunds will be made under any circumstances.

Where course fees have been paid in currencies other than pounds sterling, refunds will be subject to the exchange rate on the day they are processed.

2. Cancellation by us

Where there is good reason, OUDCE reserves the right to cancel a course by giving you notice in writing at any time before the course is due to start. In these cases, we will endeavour to offer a transfer to another available course if practical and acceptable to you, subject to payment or refund of any difference in course fees. Alternatively, we will refund the course fees that you have already paid. If we cancel a course, our liability is limited to the fees that we have received from you; this means that we will not compensate you for any pre-booked travel costs or any other expenses incurred. The status of this course will be reviewed on 1 May 2024. If it is likely that the course may be cancelled, anyone affected will be notified by email within 7 days; if you have not heard from OUDCE by 8 May 2024, you should assume that your course will be running. You may wish to delay finalising your travel arrangements until after this date.

OUDCE reserves the right to cancel a course at short notice in exceptional circumstances that would prevent the course from being delivered e.g. tutor illness. In these rare instances, and if we are unable to find a replacement tutor, we will notify you as soon as possible and arrange a transfer to another available Oxford Experience course. If we cancel a course, our liability is limited to the fees that we have received from you; this means that we will not compensate you for any pre-booked travel costs or any other expenses incurred.

3. Travel insurance

All participants must purchase travel insurance to cover the programme fee, travel costs, and any other expenses incurred. OUDCE cannot be held responsible for any costs you may incur in relation to travel or accommodation bookings as a result of a course cancellation, or if you are unable to attend the course for any other reason. 

Ms Judit Molnár

Judit Molnar is a final-year doctoral student of Anthropology at the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on diaspora subjectivity and her broader interests include migration, transnationalism, and the anthropology of the state. She has conducted ethnographic research in Indonesia, Argentina, Ireland, and Slovenia.

Teaching methods

Participants will be taught in seminar groups of up to 12 people. The teaching methods used during this course may include:

• Short lectures/Presentations
• Physical handouts
• Seminars/group discussions
• Written exercises in-class
• Student presentations

Assessment methods

There are no assessments for this course.

Application

Registration closes on 1 May 2024. Most courses fill up fast so early registration is recommended.

Single accommodation and non-residential places may be booked online by clicking on the “Book now” button in the “Course details” box at the top right-hand side of the course page.

• If you experience any difficulties enrolling online please contact the Programme Administrator at [email protected] .

Those requiring twin or double accommodation should complete an enrolment form as these rooms cannot be booked online. Completed forms should be sent:

by email to [email protected] , or

by post to The Oxford Experience, OUDCE, 1 Wellington Square, OXFORD, OX1 2JA, UK.

Level and demands

The Oxford Experience is aimed at non-specialists: no prior knowledge is required, and classes are pitched at an introductory level. The courses are designed for an international audience aged 18 and over.

Accommodation

During your course you will stay in typical Oxford student accommodation at Christ Church, in buildings which range from the 18th to the 20th century. Please note that bedrooms are modestly-furnished and do not have air-conditioning.

The course fee includes breakfasts Monday-Saturday, lunches Sunday-Friday, and 3-course dinners Sunday-Thursday. On Friday, there will be a special 4-course Gala Dinner to celebrate the closing of the week. All meals are taken in  Christ Church’s spectacular dining hall .

Single bedrooms

• Single en suite;
• Single standard.

En suite rooms include private bathroom facilities (shower, washbasin and toilet). Standard rooms include a washbasin and shaver point only, with bathroom facilities shared with other rooms.

Shared bedrooms

Shared rooms can only be booked by two people attending the programme together, and are charged on a per person basis.

• Double en suite;
• Twin en suite;
• 'Twin Set' standard.

En suite rooms include private bathroom facilities (shower, washbasin and toilet). 'Twin set’ standard rooms comprise two separate single standard rooms, each with a washbasin and shaver point only, opening onto a private sitting room, with bathroom facilities shared with other rooms.

Those requiring twin or double accommodation must complete an  enrolment form (see ‘Application’), as these rooms cannot be booked online.

Christ Church rooms do not have lift access, and the higher rooms can be located up a few flights of stairs. If you need a room on a ground or lower floor please indicate this on your enrolment form , or contact the programme administrator directly at  [email protected]  as soon as possible before 1 June.

We regret that we are unable to arrange accommodation at Christ Church prior to or following your course. Additionally, family or friends who are not enrolled in the programme cannot be accommodated in college. Please  contact Christ Church directly  if you require additional nights of bed and breakfast accommodation.

Participants Attending Multiple Weeks

The Oxford Experience welcomes participants who want to attend multiple courses over the summer. Resident participants staying in Christ Church for consecutive weeks are offered bed and breakfast accommodation for the Saturday night between their courses. The extended stay rates are charged on a per person basis, depending on your enrolment accommodation. An invoice will be emailed alongside your confirmation of enrolment. 

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support

The Oxford Experience

Summer schools

Medical Anthropology

The human experience of illness, health, and well-being is profoundly influenced by political, economic, and ecological systems. Medical anthropologists study traditional healing practices as well as experimental scientific enterprises that are transforming the human condition. In this course you will learn critical tools for understanding embodied experiences of illness. We will also consider how social inequality is reflected in environments and infrastructures that shape different medical outcomes.

There are two master’s courses in Medical Anthropology at Oxford: the one-year MSc and the two-year MPhil . These share a common period of nine months’ course work in the first year. Both courses will provide students with a solid background in conceptual and methodological issues related to medical anthropology. Both courses are open to university graduates in any field who can demonstrate motivation and purpose for incorporating medical anthropology into their longer-term career goals. 

MSc in Medical Anthropology

This is the course structure for 2023/2024 academic year and is subject to change.

The MSc in Medical Anthropology is a conversion course, which provides extensive teaching that combines approaches from social anthropology and science studies to understand heath and healing in diverse cultures and ecological communities. It consists of four Papers and a 10,000 word dissertation (submitted in late August).

The three core Papers are taught in fall (Michaelmas Term) and winter (Hilary Term):

Paper 1 : Critical Medical Anthropology

Paper 2 : Biocultural Approaches to Medicine

Paper 3 : Anthropologies of the Body

MSc students may also attend lectures in:

• Theory and Approaches in Social Anthropology
• Fieldwork: theory and methods

Students can select any of the available option courses in Hilary Term. 

MSc students must be in residence in Oxford during full term, the dates for which are listed on the  University's main website .

MPhil in Medical Anthropology

The two-year MPhil course offers a coordinated training in anthropological approaches to health and illness, with a special emphasis on methods. It provides the necessary basis for future anthropological research and an excellent cross-cultural grounding for those aiming to pursue a career in clinical medicine, international health, or other health-related fields. The MPhil is similar in topical scope and breadth to the MSc, but it allows for much deeper engagement with the theory and practice of anthropological research.

During the first year MPhil students follow the same course of instruction as MSc students through the June examinations. These serve as qualifying (rather than final) exams for MPhil students which, if passed at satisfactory level, enable them to progress to the second year.

The MPhil is a research-preparation degree, with the 30,000 word dissertation (submitted in May of the second year) as the main course output. MPhil students receive individual tuition on their dissertation writing with their supervisor throughout the second year. They are also required to attend MPhil classes in Hilary Term, during which MPhil dissertation projects from across the School of Anthropology are presented and discussed among students and faculty.   

The application deadline is now early January each year.

Current Students and Alumnae

Medical Anthropology DPhil Research

Teaching Staff

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Fully Funded PhD in Anthropology at University of Oxford, England

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The DPhil in Anthropology is the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography’s advanced research degree, and is awarded to candidates who have completed a substantial original piece of research in the field.

PhD Program Requirements

A master’s degree with an overall grade of 67% or above and normally with a dissertation at 67% or above; and

A first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in any subject.

At least one such degree should normally be in a branch of anthropology (eg social, cultural, medical, biological, evolutionary) relevant to their proposed research. Distinction-level students in a closely related discipline may be considered for direct entry as Probationer Research Students on the condition that they undertake some coursework in the relevant field of anthropology in their first year. The final degree result should be 67%, or equivalent.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum acceptable GPA sought is 3.75 out of 4.0.

Part-time applicants will also be expected to show evidence of the ability to commit time to study and, if applicable, an employer’s commitment to make time available to study, to complete coursework, and attend course and University events and modules. Where appropriate, evidence should also be provided of permission to use employers’ data in the proposed research project.

Publications are not expected of applicants.

This degree involves the close analysis of published sources as well as verbal and written critical reflections in the form of oral presentations, essays and exam answers. It is therefore essential to your chance of successfully completing the program that you meet these higher-level English language requirements as stipulated by the University.

PhD Funding Coverage

The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25.

You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships, if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline.

Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.

Application Requirement

1. Online Application

2. Official transcript(s): Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

3. Research proposal: Your research proposal should state the research question, briefly discuss any key literature, discuss methods and provide a basic research timetable. Your research proposal must be written in English. The word count does not include any bibliography.

4. Written work: You should submit two pieces of academically-related written work in English, in any discipline. The two items may be separate extracts from a longer work like a taught-course thesis. The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes.

5. GRE General Test scores: No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

6. English language proficiency: This course requires proficiency in English at the University’s higher level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement.

Application Deadline

5 January 2025

Application Fee

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application.

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University of Oxford

DPhil (PhD) Anthropology

1 in 2 applicants to this programme received an offer.

Data shown above is for entry in academic year 2019/20 (sources) .

Previous Years

Data sources.

• FOI Request by S.H Crozier. July 2016.
• FOI Request by Albert Warren. December 2019.

The acceptance rate , or offer rate, represents the fraction of applicants who received an offer. Note that this will be generally lower the acceptances rates (acceptances divided by applicants) published by many other sources. This article explains it in more detail. The acceptances generally indicate the number of offer holders who accepted the offer and fulfilled its conditions. For some universities, however, it denotes the number of applicants who accepted the offer, regardless of whether they subsequently met its conditions.

Data Reliability

Unless otherwise noted, the data presented comes from the universities and is generally reliable. However, some of the differences between years and/or courses may be due to different counting methodologies or data gathering errors. This may especially be the case if there is a sharp difference from year to year. If the data does not look right, click the "Report" button located near the top of the page.

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Faculty Publications: Anthropology - 2024

Howell, Jayne (2023) Women Teachers of Rural Oaxaca: Agency and Empowerment .  Lanham, MD: Lexington Books

Daniels Jr, James T., Heather B. Thakar, and Hector Neff (2023) Human Niche Construction and Shifts in Subsistence and Settlement during the Early Formative in the Eastern Soconusco Mangrove Zone. In Human Behavioral Ecology and Coastal Environments, edited by Heather B. Thakar, and Carola Flores Fernandez, pp. 103-131. Society and Ecology in Island and Coastal Archaeology. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

Glascock, Michael D., Hector Neff, and Darlene R. Moore (2023) Compositional characterization of pottery and clays from Guam by NAA. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 50 (2023) 104098. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2023.104098 .

Maceyko, Melissa. 2023. “Corporate Activism against Anti-Abortion and Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation.” Anthropology News 64(4): 14-16.   https://doi.org/10.1111/AN.1607

Maceyko, Melissa and Lucy C. Arciniega. 2023. “Anthropologists Meet DEI.” Anthropology Career Readiness Network. https://anthrocareerready.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ARCN-Anthropologists-Meet-DEI-11162023.pdf

Maceyko, Melissa and Lucy C. Arciniega. 2024. “How Do Anthropologists Continue to Work in DEI in Today’s Fraught Political Environment?” World of Work Blog , Anthropology Career Readiness Network. https://anthrocareerready.net/how-do-anthropologists-continue-to-work-in-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-dei-in-todays-fraught-political-environment/  

Miller, Kara. 2024. "Cultural Attunements and Ecological Wellbeing: Embodied Conditions for Mental Health Interventions" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 21, no. 3: 287. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21030287

Neff, Hector, Marx Navarro Castillo, and Sachiko Sakai (2023) A Mesoamerican Tradeware Revisited: Mexican Influences in the Origins and Evolution of Plumbate Pottery. In When East Meets West: Chichen Itza, Tula, and Early Postclassic Mesoamerica, edited by Travis Stanton, Karl Taube, and Jeremy Coltman, pp. 693 - 723. BAR Publishing, Oxford.

Neff, Hector (2023) Export Craft Production in Soconusco: An Update on Tohil Plumbate, In Routes, Interaction and Exhange in the Southern Maya Region, edited by Eugenia Robinson and Gavin Davies, pp. 311 - 331. Routledge, New York.

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Academic Staff

Study shows wild chimpanzees seek out medicinal plants to treat illness and injuries

Chimpanzees appear to consume plants with medicinal properties to treat their ailments, according to a new study led by the University of Oxford, published this week in the journal PLOS ONE .

To investigate this, a team of researchers combined behavioral observations of wild chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ) with pharmacological testing of the potentially medicinal plants they eat. They monitored the behavior and health of 51 chimpanzees from two communities in the Budongo Central Forest Reserve in Uganda, who were habituated to the presence of humans.

Next, they collected plant extracts from 13 species of trees and herbs in the reserve that they suspected the chimpanzees might be using to self-medicate. These included plants that they observed sick or injured chimpanzees eating, but were not part of their normal diet, and plants that previous research has suggested chimpanzees might consume for their medicinal properties.

The extracts were then tested for their anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties at Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences, led by Dr Fabien Schultz.

The researchers found that 88% of the plant extracts inhibited bacterial growth, while 33% had anti-inflammatory properties. Dead wood from a tree in the Dogbane family ( Alstonia boonei ) showed the strongest antibacterial activity and also had anti-inflammatory properties, suggesting that the chimpanzees may consume it to treat wounds. Interestingly, Alstonia boonei is also used as a medicinal plant in East African communities to treat a variety of conditions, including bacterial infections, gastro-intestinal issues, snake bites, and asthma.

The results provide compelling evidence that chimpanzees seek out specific plants for their medicinal effects. The study is the most in-depth analysis to date that combines both behavioral and pharmacological evidence of the medicinal benefits to wild chimpanzees of feeding on bark and dead wood.

Lead author Dr Elodie Freymann , from the University of Oxford’s School of Anthropology & Museum Ethnography, said: ‘To study wild chimpanzee self-medication you have to act like a detective—gathering multidisciplinary evidence to piece together a case. After spending months in the field collecting behavioral clues that led us to specific plant species, it was thrilling to analyze the pharmacological results and discover that many of these plants exhibited high levels of bioactivity.’

With both antibiotic-resistant bacteria and chronic inflammatory diseases becoming urgent global health challenges, the researchers note that the medicinal plants growing in Budongo Central Forest Reserve could aid the development of valuable new drugs.

Dr Freymann added: ‘Our study highlights the medicinal knowledge that can be gained from observing other species in the wild and underscores the urgent need to preserve these forest pharmacies for future generations.’

The study ‘Pharmacological and behavioral investigation of putative self-medicative plants in Budongo Chimpanzee diets’ has been published in PLOS ONE .

Based on a press release by PLOS

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