The research in this lab primarily focuses on primate functional morphology, the evolutionary morphology of humans and other primates, and bone biomechanics. In particular, our research makes use of advanced computational techniques such as high-resolution computed tomography imaging (microCT), 3D morphometrics, deep-learning based image segmentation, high performance computation for morphological analyses, and interactive visualization to understand the relationships between bone structure and activity patterns in living and extinct humans and nonhuman primates.
The lab’s ongoing research broadly seeks to address questions related to the interplay between form and function in the musculoskeletal system and how this relationship can be used to reconstruct behavior and interpret the fossil record and evolutionary histories of primates and humans. The main focus is on skeletal variation, adaptation, and plasticity and how variation in the skeleton can be understood within the context of mechanical and non-mechanical factors.