Current position: Assistant Professor

Current affiliation: Des Moines University, College of Osteopathic Medicine

Research website: Link

Research description: My work and lab focus on researching craniofacial variation in modern humans, specifically the internal structures of the face. Using computed tomography, I assess the size and 3D shape of the internal nasal cavity and surrounding paranasal sinuses. By looking at globally distributed populations, I also analyze which factors, such as diverse environmental pressures (e.g., temperature, humidity, hypoxia) and/or overall skull shape, play a role in shaping these structures. I am further interested in whether morphological differences in these structures have clinical implications, such as susceptibility to sinusitis, and/or if they affect levels of nitric oxide production. My ultimate goal is to better understand not only how, but why we vary as a species.