Skeletal Biology and Biomechanics Lab

What We Do

The Skeletal Biology and Biomechanics Lab’s mission is to study how and why the human body evolved to be the way it is —especially in terms of physical activity— and to use that evolutionary anthropological perspective to foster human health.   We are especially interested in how evolutionary approaches to studying the human body can help better prevent and treat mismatch diseases. These are conditions that are more common and severe because our bodies are imperfectly or inadequately adapted to novel environmental conditions. The biggest mismatch we study is lack of habitual physical activity, but we are also interested in:  

• What kinds and doses of physical activities —walking, running, carrying, and more— did we evolve to do? 

• How and why do different types and levels of physical activity affect the body's growth, function and maintenance as we age?

• How does physical activity interact with diet and other factors (genetic and environmental) to affect physiology, health, and aging?

• How are industrial and post-industrial environments changing people's physical activities hence their anatomy, physiology, and health in Western and non-Western countries?

To address these issues, we integrate experimental biomechanics and physiology in both the laboratory and the field with analyses of the human fossil record.

Major current projects include: 

• research on the biomechanics and evolution of walking and running (from head stabilization to foot function)

• studying the effects of physical activity on metabolism, reproductive function, inflammation,  age-related muscle loss, and the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems

• studying the physical activity transition in Rwanda and other places. 

• integrating research on physical activity with diet and other environmental factors.