Sarah Noll, Research Associate at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, returned to the University of Bordeaux for another successful research exchange in the lab of Professor Caroline Tokarski.  She brought historic samples of Mexican lacquerware and paintings from the viceregal era for proteomic analysis.  These samples were collected by members of Team Chia, including ARCHE co-director Julie Arslanoglu, on their recent trip to Mexico in February 2024.  Sarah analyzed these samples using a bottom-up approach, looking for traces of chia and other oil seed proteins in the artworks.  This work is part of the larger National Endowment for the Humanities grant project to identify chia seed proteins in works of art from New Spain.