PhD Student in Integrative Biology
ejohnsonransom@uchicago.edu Profile Twitter Research Gate
Evan is a first-year PhD student in the Ross and Sereno labs. He is interested in the evolution, functional morphology, and feeding mechanics of theropod dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus, Spinosaurus, and Allosaurus. For his research, Evan uses finite element analysis (FEA) of the crania of different theropod dinosaurs to evaluate the stress distribution and infer feeding behavior. Previously Evan has received his Bachelor’s from DePaul University (2018) and his Master’s at Oklahoma State University (2021), in addition to being a summer graduate fellow at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (2022).
PhD Student in Integrative Biology
peishu@uchicago.edu Google Scholar Research Gate
Peishu is a second-year PhD student in the Luo lab and the Ross lab. He is broadly interested in the evolution, functional morphology and biomechanics of the mammalian feeding complex. For his dissertation research, Peishu focuses on the evolution and biomechanics of the hyoid apparatus and surrounding musculature in mammals. His research utilizes linear and geometric morphometrics, diceCT and the XROMM workflow to study the morphological disparity of hyoids in primates and other mammals, and how such disparity may translate to variation in 3D hyoid kinematics during chewing and swallowing. Peishu has previously conducted research on the dental topography of extinct South American stem platyrrhines, the skeletal anatomy of newborn ursids, and the igneous petrology of Hawaiian basalts.
Postdoctoral Scholar
kalebsellers@uchicago.edu
Kaleb is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Ross lab. His interests include comparative vertebrate anatomy and evolution, comparative functional morphology of the feeding system, and vertebrate paleontology. His postdoctoral work focuses on characterizing the basic and functional anatomy of the hyolingual apparatus across mammals with a focus on primates. Kaleb uses contrast-enhanced CT scanning, morphometrics, and engineering techniques to characterize muscle anatomy and assess muscle forces. For his dissertation research, Kaleb investigated the functional effects of skull flattening on the jaw muscles and joints in the lineage leading to crocodylians. He has also worked on projects investigating enamel thickness in various reptiles and collaborated on biomechanics projects in various non-avian dinosaurs and other reptiles.
Lecturer and Anatomy Lab Manager
georgina@uchicago.edu
Georgina is the Anatomy Lab Manager and Lecturer for the Human Body course. She facilitates education and research using human donors from the Anatomical Gift Association of Illinois and also the large collection of Ross Lab (Dept. of Organismal Biology and Anatomy) vertebrate specimens.
Georgina loves dissection and specializes in the comparative anatomy and evolution of the mammalian forelimb. Other interests include the evolution of vertebrate body wall layers, mammal pelvic anatomy, collecting and preserving vertebrate specimens, Paleocene/Eocene paleontology fieldwork, poultry, and plants.
Georgina was an Anthropology undergraduate student at University of Chicago (AB’03) and then completed her doctoral work at the Center for Functional Anatomy & Evolution at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (PhD’14). She taught the anatomical sciences at Dartmouth before returning to the University of Chicago in 2021.
PhD Student in Integrative Biology
atwilken@uchicago.edu
Alec Wilken is a graduate student interested in vertebrate biomechanics and evolution. For his dissertation, Alec is investigating the evolution of the mammal jaw and the mammalian middle ear. Much of Alec’s work employs Finite Element Analysis (FEA), an engineering technique, to explore the biomechanical environment of the feeding apparatus, combining work from novel imaging techniques and in vivo data to construct robust biomechanical models. Alec has previously conducted research studying the evolution of kinetic, mobile skulls in lizards, birds, and non-avian dinosaurs and the burrowing adaptations of North American shrews.
| Name | Years | Where are they now? | Research |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Asher, PhD | Senior Lecturer and Curator, University Museum of Zoology, University of Cambridge |
PhD, Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences, Stony Brook University. Thesis Title: Phylogenetic relationships among tenrecoid insectivores. Graduated, Fall, 2000 |
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| Carrie Balcer | 2014 - 2018 | ||
| Kevin Brown | Associate Director of Data Science at Bristol Myers Squibb | ||
| Mark Coleman, PhD | Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Education, Western Atlantic University School of Medicine |
PhD, Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences, Stony Brook University. Thesis Title: Middle and inner ear morphology and ecology. Graduated, 2007 |
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| Josh Coles | 2009 - 2014 | ||
| Ruchi Dharia, MD | Emergency Medicine Specialist, Syosset, NY | ||
| McKenna C. Eastment, MD | University of Washington Department of Medicine | ||
| Alison Eckhardt | |||
| Caylen Erger | Veterinary School at University of Missouri |
Characterization of the laryngeal adductor reflex in rhesus macaques. Undergraduate Honors Thesis, The College, University of Chicago, 2017 |
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| Kara Feilich, PhD | Federal Government Consulting | ||
| Alexandre Freire, PhD | Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas – UNICAMP |
CNPq and Capes Fellow |
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| Nicholas Gidmark, PhD | Assistant Professor, Knox College | ||
| Michael C. Granatosky, PhD | Assistant Professor of Anatomy, New York Institute of Technology | ||
| Janaya Gripper | |||
| Margaret Hall, PhD | Professor, Department of Anatomy, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona |
PhD, Graduate Program in Anatomical Sciences, Stony Brook University. Thesis title: Eye and orbit size and shape in vertebrates. Graduated, 2005 |
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| Christopher P. Heesy, PhD | Professor, Department of Anatomy, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona |
PhD, Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences, Stony Brook University. Thesis title: The functions of the mammalian postorbital bar. (Co-advised with Dr. Brigitte Demes). Graduated, Fall, 2003 |
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| Liam Heins | Application Developer at Ariadne Software | ||
| Jose Iriarte-Diaz, PhD | Assistant Professor, University of the South, Sewannee | ||
| Rebecca Junod | 2018 - 2019 | ||
| Rebecca Kaiser, MD | Dermatology Associates of Virginia | ||
| Nikki Kijak, MD | Orthopaedic Surgery Resident at Uchicago Medicine | ||
| Myra F. Laird, PhD | Assistant Professor of Clinical Integrative Anatomical Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California | ||
| J.D. Laurence-Chasen, PhD | Computational scientist at Research Computing Center, University of Chicago |
PhD, Organismal Biology & Anatomy, University of Chicago. Thesis Title: Neuromechanics of the Primate Tongue During Feeding |
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| Richard H. Madden, PhD | Retired, Los Angeles California | ||
| Hyab Mehari-Abraha, PhD | Postdoctoral Researcher at Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland |
Fulbright Futures Fellow |
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| Keith Metzger, PhD | Assistant Dean of Medical Education, Professor of Medical Sciences, Department of Medical Sciences, Seton Hall University |
PhD, Graduate Program in Anatomical Sciences, Stony Brook University. Thesis Title: The kinematics of intra-oral prey transport in lizards. Graduated, 2005 (Co-advised with Dr. Brigitte Demes) |
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| Ali Nabavizadeh, PhD | Assistant Professor of Veterinary Gross Anatomy at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine | ||
| Yuki Nakamura, PhD | Niigata University | ||
| Selby Olson | Graduate Student at University of Florida, Department of Natural History | ||
| Courtney Orsbon, MD, PhD | Residency at University of Vermont, Department of Radiology |
M.D., PhD, Pritzker School of Medicine and Organismal Biology & Anatomy, University of Chicago. Thesis Title: Swallowing Biomechanics of the Macaca mulatta hyolingual apparatus. Graduated 2018 |
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| Dawn Paulsen | 2002 - 2009 | ||
| Ellen Platts | Graduate Student at University of Maryland, College Park | ||
| Laura B. Porro, PhD | Lecturer in Anatomy in the Centre for Integrative Anatomy in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology at University College London | ||
| Felippe B. Prado, DDS, PhD |
Dr. Prado graduated in Dentistry from the School of Dentistry in the Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas in Brazil (2003). He received his Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Biology and Oral Pathology, Anatomy Area, at Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas UNICAMP (2009 and 2010), and has expertise in Forensic Dentistry at Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, UNICAMP (2009). Dr. Prado did postdoctoral research in the Department of Organismal Biology And Anatomy University of Chicago in 2016. He is a Professor in the Department of Biosciences, Anatomy division, at Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, and Staff Scientist at Department of Organismal Biology And Anatomy University of Chicago, IL, USA. His overall research goal is to understand tissue mechanobiology and bone and musculoskeletal head and neck biomechanics. He is also interested in understanding the musculoskeletal biomechanics and biological tissue changes in the face associated with changes caused by mastication, implants, and local or systemic conditions using different animal models such as rodents, nonhuman primates and humans. Dr. Prado’s goal is to expand and improve knowledge on bioengineering of human jaw function during distraction osteogenesis and fracture repair using finite-element models of humans and non-human primate jaws.In the near term, he is focused on improving knowledge about jaw and tongue kinematics using in vivo experiments and finite element modeling. |
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| Yashesvini Ram, PhD | Senior Scientist at Abbott Laboratories |
PhD, Organismal Biology & Anatomy, University of Chicago. Thesis Title: Coordination Between Muscles and the Sensorimotor Cortex During Orofacial Behaviors in Non-Human Primates. Graduated 2017 |
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| David A. Reed, PhD | 2001 - 2004 | Assistant Professor, University of Illinois, Chicago |
PhD, Organismal Biology & Anatomy, University of Chicago. Thesis Title: The Biomechanical Determinants of Phenotypic Variance in the Mandible of Alligator mississippiensis. Graduated 2011 |
| Annie Rivera | |||
| Ana Cláudia Rossi, PhD |
CNPq and Capes Fellow |
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| Mateo Rull | Research and Outreach Scientist and Co-Coordinator of Research Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst |
Leadership-Alliance Fellow |
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| Julia Schultz, Dr. rer. Nat. | Research Assistant, Institut für Geowissenschaften, University of Bonn | ||
| Ellen Schulz-Kornas, PhD | Head of the Research Laboratory, Department of Cariology, Endodontology and Periodontology, University of Leipzig | ||
| Kelsey Stilson, PhD | Postdoc at Brown University |
PhD, Organismal Biology & Anatomy, University of Chicago. Thesis Title: The Kinematics and Neurofeedback of Mastication in Didelphis virginiana |
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| Kazutaka Takahashi, PhD | Senior Neurophysiologist and Data Scientist Precision Neuroscience | ||
| Treva Walsh | |||
| Ryan L. Washington | |||
| Katrina (Katie) Whitlow, PhD | Assistant Professor in Biology, Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame |
PhD, Organismal Biology & Anatomy, University of Chicago. Thesis Title: Biomechanics, evolution and modulation of suction feeding mechanisms in fishes |
