Dr Marc Vermeulen
- Roles
- Author
- Researcher
Head of Heritage Science and Conservation Research
About
Marc Vermeulen is a Heritage Scientist and Conservation Research leader with over a decade of experience working at the intersection of science, cultural heritage, and public engagement. He leads cross-disciplinary research to improve collection care and safe access, and is involved in delivering The National Archives’ Centre of Excellence for Heritage Science and Conservation Research.
Research activity
Marc's research focuses on the material analysis and preservation of historical collections, with particular interests in pigment degradation, toxic substances, and innovative imaging techniques for heritage materials. He holds a PhD in Chemistry (2017), with doctoral work centred on arsenic sulphide. Since then, he has worked across major cultural institutions including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Northwestern University, and the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage.
Marc currently leads the Heritage Science and Conservation Research programme at The National Archives, where he manages interdisciplinary research aimed at improving both the physical care of archival collections and the safety of those who access them. He plays a central role in the development and delivery of The National Archives’ Centre of Excellence for Heritage Science and Conservation Research, supporting its mission to advance research, innovation, and sector-wide collaboration. His current projects include the detection of hazardous materials—such as arsenic-based pigments and historical pesticides, alongside the development of imaging tools to reveal hidden content in historical documents. He regularly collaborates with academic and sector partners, and his work is published in leading journals including Analytical Chemistry, Studies in Conservation, and Heritage Science.
His research bridges scientific innovation, cultural preservation, and public wellbeing. Through this work, he aims to foster inclusive access to collections, enable informed decision-making across the sector, and ensure that science plays a central role in shaping the future of archives and libraries.
Publications
- M. Vermeulen, C. Conti, P. Matousek, L. Angelova, and A. Botteon, 'Unravelling hidden text and figures in paper-based archival documents with micro-spatially offset Raman spectroscopy imaging', Spectrochimica Acta part A, 329 (2025) 125591.
- M-A Veall, M. Moriarty, J. Poulin, M. Vermeulen, J. Vervoorst, and L.V. Angelova, 'A Comparative Study of Invasive and Micro-Invasive Analytical Methods for the Detection and Identification of Historically Applied Pesticides to Archival Records', Studies in Conservation (2025), 1-12.
- M. Vermeulen, S. M. Webb, S. Russick, A. C. McGeachy, K. Muratore, and M. Walton, 'Identification, transformations and mobility of hazardous arsenic-based pigments on 19th century bookbindings in accessible library collections', Journal of Hazardous Materials, 454 (2023) 131453.
- M. Vermeulen, A. McGeachy, B. Xu, H. Chopp, A. Katsaggelos, R. Meyers, M. Alfeld, and M. Walton, 'XRFast and New Software Package for Processing of MA-XRF Datasets using Machine Leaning', Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 37 (2022), 2130-2143.
Contact
If you are interested in collaborating on an academic research project, please get in touch.
Articles
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Blog post
The pannotype mystery: cracking the code of a forgotten photographic process
We delve into the fascinating research recently undertaken into a number of Victorian records in our collection featuring rare examples of early photography.