Research: Anatomy

Research Faculty

The Anatomy Department at NYITCOM is a leader in anatomical research; we routinely publish impactful discoveries in Nature, Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and Current Biology. Research projects are led by 9 full-time faculty, 2 part-time faculty, and postdoctoral researchers, along with the support of three research staff. Much of this research is conducted in our labs, including the Visualization Center, which is equipped with a micro-CT scanner, optical profiler for surface metrology, and Amira workstations; an embryology laboratory for in vivo experiments; and a small animal gait lab for collecting kinematic, kinetic, energetic, and EMG data. We also work in labs across campus, including the CBI (Center for Biomedical Innovation), Histology Core, and the Human Gait Lab.


Brian Beatty
Associate Professor

Brian Beatty, Ph.D., specializes in evolutionary biology, paleontology, anatomy, and paleopathology. His research focuses on …read more


Jonathan Geisler
Professor & Chair

Jonathan Geisler, Ph.D., is an expert on the evolutionary history of mammals, with particular emphasis on Cetacea (whales, dolphins…read more


Michael Granatosky
Assistant Professor

Michael Granatosky is an evolutionary biomechanist primarily interested in the origins of quadrupedal locomotion. He…read more


Simone Hoffmann
Associate Professor

Simone Hoffmann's research centers on how key mammalian features such as large brain size, a keen sense…read more


Matthew Mihlbachler
Professor & Director, Academic Medicine Scholars Program

Matthew C. Mihlbachler earned his Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Sciences in 2005 from…read more


Julia Molnar
Associate Professor

Julia Molnar investigates the evolution of vertebrate locomotion. She uses three-dimensional virtual models of fossil and…read more


Vanessa Reddin
Associate Professor

Office: Riland, Room: 369 Old Westbury
Email: vreddin@nyit.edu


Nikos Solounias
Professor

Nikos Solounias, Ph.D., specializes in evolutionary biology, paleontology, anatomy. His research focuses on living…read more


Nathan Thompson
Associate Professor

Nathan Thompson's research focuses largely on comparative biomechanics of locomotion and the evolution of…read more


Christine Wall
Professor

Office: Old Westbury
Email: cwall@nyit.edu


Akinobu Watanabe
Associate Professor

Aki Watanabe's research seeks to answer one of the most enduring questions in biology—what drives…read more

 

Aquatic Vertebrate Tissues and Their Interaction with the Environment

Studies convergence in the vertebrate transition from terrestrial to aquatic (especially with Desmostylia, Sirenia, and Cetacea), with emphasis on studies of tooth wear, comparative anatomy and histology, radiological methods, and materials science.

Primary investigator: Associate Professor, Brian L. Beatty, Ph.D.

 

Adaptation and Evolution of the Mammalian Skull

Studies adaptations in hearing, vocalization, and respiration using both living and fossil species. To better understand the limits of mammalian adaptations, we are currently using cetacean models (whales, dolphins, and porpoises), which have colonized and thrived in extreme aquatic environments. This primary work is bolstered by our ongoing efforts to resolve the mammalian family tree with anatomical and genetic data. See additional information.

Primary investigator: Associate Professor & Chair, Jonathan Geisler, Ph.D.

 

Evolution of Early Mammals

Studies how key mammalian features such as a keen sense of smell, enlarged brain size, and high frequency hearing developed. Current projects focus on the description of new fossil mammals from Madagascar, the evolution of the inner ear of early mammals, and morphology and genetics of the vomeronasal organ in extant vertebrates.

Principal investigator: Associate Professor, Simone Hoffmann, Ph.D.

 

Comparative Ecomorphology and Evolutionary Paleoecology

Studies convergent evolution and how environmental change influences the evolution of recurring anatomical systems. Current projects include investigations into the evolution and functional morphology of limbs and joints. Also looks at dental wear to understand the role of dietary change in the evolution of mammalian dentitions.

Primary investigator: Associate Professor & Director, Matthew Mihlbachler, Ph.D.

 

Evolution of Ruminants

Studies the evolution of the diet and anatomy of ruminants. Projects include the evolution of the giraffe neck; the evolution of the skull; and methods of dietary interpretations.

Principal Investigator: Professor, Nikos Solounias, Ph.D.

 

The Evolution of Human and Primate Locomotion

Studies how biomechanical differences between human and primate locomotion are related to differences in muscle and bone morphology. The goal is to be able to identify those bony features which can be used to infer locomotion in fossil primates, including our early human ancestors.

Principal Investigator: Associate Professor, Nathan E. Thompson, Ph.D.

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