POST DOCS
current postdocs
I am a bone biologist and exercise physiologist. In general, my work focuses on inflammation and osteoimmune regulation of bone mass, microarchitecture, and strength. I am particularly interested in change over time (across the lifespan, evolution) and comparing states of habitual physical activity and inactivity. My current research span two major areas. 1) Osteoimmune regulation of bone biology: I am investigating the role of diverse microbial exposures in the regulation of bone mass acquisition during adolescence. My goal is to understand key factors underlying our propensity for osteoporosis. 2) Bone loading and trabecular microarchitecture: I am studying the effect of habitual behavioral loading patterns on bone microstructure and strength in lemurs. My goal is to determine the importance of heterogeneity in loading patterns for trabecular robusticity.
|
I am a Biological Anthropologist with specialties in Human Functional Anatomy, Human Biological Variation, and Paleoanthropology. My research interests include, the evolution of the human pelvis, biomechanics of human locomotion, fossil and living pelvic reconstructions.
I am currently studying the effects of pelvic resections i.e. hemipelvectomies, and pelvic reconstructions including hip replacements on human gait biomechanics and how our understanding of hominin pelvic evolution can help shape these procedures going forward. I am also continuing my research tackling the incomplete nature of the human pelvic fossil record and applied virtual anthropological means to fill in some of those gaps. This involved using 3D visualization software to process CT scan data of fossil and modern humans along with geometric morphometric statistical methods to conduct multivariate shape analyses. I completed my Ph.D. at the University of California, Davis in the Weaver Paleoanthropology Lab. I hold a Master degree from UC Davis (2018), and a B.S. from Howard University (2014). I am also passionate about advocating for euqity and justice, and making space for underepresented minorities to thrive in academia. For more information click here. |
I like to wear the hat of a biological anthropologist or even primatologist, having a great interest in primate evolution !
But I am more than happy to leave my cousins for a moment to discover more of the marvels of the animal kingdom. My research focuses on understanding the evolution of primate prehensile limbs by carrying out ontogenetic and integrative studies. I investigate relationships between transitions in grasping behavior (i.e., feeding, social interactions, locomotion), performance, and changes in limbs' morphology across development I am fascinated by the developmental strategies that overcome ontogenetic limitations on performance. But also, revealing precise relationships between forms and function across ontogeny brings new insights to infer locomotor transitions during primates origins. My current project at the Duke Lemur Center will investigate the effect of infant carrying to understand the selective pressures that might have specifically led to more dexterous and accurate forms of grasping amongst primates. When clinging on the parental fur, a juvenile presses each finger toward the next, involving a close contact between phalanges, while the fingertips are pressed toward the palm. We will test the hypothesis that such focus of control on the touch-pads during fur-clinging might be a forerunner of fine hand control. Other projects: Biomechanics of leaping performance, Trunk grasping in elephants, and soon a new study on raccoons! |