In two recent studies, Freidline and her collaborators analyzed evidence from fossil sites in eastern and northwestern Africa, revealing surprising findings of early human evolution dating back nearly 1.5 million years. While both studies focus on describing fossil remains and understanding their place in human evolutionary history, Freidline, a co-author of the studies, says each addresses different questions and regions.

Uncovering the Unexpected

The first study, published in the Nature Communications journal and led by Karen Baab of Midwestern University, revisits DAN5, a nearly 1.5-million-year-old Ethiopian fossil belonging to the extinct human species Homo erectus鈥�Latin for 鈥渦pright man.鈥� This species is recognized as the first to have a more human-like body plan, walk fully upright, and migrate from Africa into Asia and Europe.

Originally described in 2020, the new study expands earlier work on the braincase by examining the fossil鈥檚facial bones and teeth, which had not previously been fully analyzed. Using advanced imaging techniques, the research team digitally reassembled fragments of the face and teeth to reconstruct the most complete Early Pleistocene human cranium from the Horn of Africa.

鈥淭he reconstructed fossil revealed a surprising mix of traits, including a face and teeth that appear more similar to earlier species like Home habilis,鈥� Freidline says.

As a biological anthropologist specializing in paleoanthropology, she says that these findings were unexpected because other African Homo erectus fossils from the same time period, particularly from Kenya, show more 鈥渃lassic鈥� H. erectus morphology.

鈥淒AN5 blurs the line between Homo habilis and Homo erectus,鈥� Freidline says. 鈥淥ur findings suggest that early Homo erectus populations were more anatomically varied than previously thought and may have retained features from earlier ancestors even after dispersing across Africa and Eurasia.鈥�

The second study, published in the Nature journal and led by Jean-Jacques Hublin of the Coll猫ge de France, shifts the focus north to Morocco, examining fossils from 聽Grotte 脿 Hominid茅s 鈥� French for “Hominid Cave” 鈥� at Thomas Quarry I, a significant cave system and paleoanthropological site near Casablanca dated to approximately 773,000 years ago.

鈥淭he fossils include well-preserved mandibles, teeth and postcranial remains that, in some respects, are unexpectedly gracile and derived 鈥� in contrast to typical Homo erectus and the European species Homo antecessors dated to the same time period 鈥� likely representing an African population closely related to Homo sapiens,鈥� Freidline says.

Until now, fossils from Spain鈥檚 Atapuerca region were considered the earliest evidence of traits linked to Homo sapiens. The Grotte 脿 Hominid茅s fossils suggest a possible evolutionary connection to the earliest known Homo sapiens from Jebel Irhoud, dated to about 315,000 years ago.

According to Freidline, North Africa has been overlooked in the fossil record. The Sahara was not always a barrier. During repeated 鈥淕reen Sahara鈥� phases over the past several hundred thousand years 鈥� including periods relevant to Homo erectus and the emergence of Homo sapiens 鈥� the region became wetter and habitable, enabling movement and gene flow. The most recent phases occurred between approximately 15,000 and 5,000 years ago.

鈥淭hese fossils are dated very precisely to a critical time near the split between Homo sapiens and the Neanderthal and Denisovan lineage,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey are an evolved form of Homo erectus, showing a mosaic of archaic and derived traits while lacking characteristics typical of Neanderthals.鈥�

Together, the two studies challenge the idea of a simple, linear path in human evolution, instead pointing to a long history of various and overlapping populations across Africa.

鈥淓ven though both fossils are separated by hundreds of thousands of years, they reveal unexpected combinations of traits that suggest early human evolution was shaped by regional evolution, migrations and interactions,鈥� Freidline says. 鈥淎frica wasn鈥檛 just the birthplace of early humans, but a place where multiple populations coexisted and evolved in different ways.鈥�

Advanced Imaging Reveals Hidden Details

Unlocking the new findings required more than fossils alone. Both studies relied on advanced technologies such as micro-CT scanning, digital reconstruction and comparative anatomical analysis, including geometric morphometrics, to extract new information from fossil fragments.

鈥淔or the DAN5 fossil, the facial bones were fragmented, so we used CT data to virtually reconstruct the face, fitting the pieces together like a 3D puzzle,鈥� Freidline says. 鈥淥nce reconstructed, I applied geometric morphometrics to capture subtle shape differences to compare fossils across time and geography without size bias.鈥�

In Morocco, magnetostratigraphic dating provided one of the most secure timelines for any African Pleistocene hominin assemblage, while virtual reconstruction techniques allowed scientists to visualize fossils that couldn鈥檛 be physically reassembled.

Freidline鈥檚 application of cutting-edge methods, including geometric morphometrics, has deepened our understanding of how the skull and face developed and changed over time in fossil human ancestors.

鈥淭raditional methods to analyze fossils rely heavily on linear measurements, like length and width, which are useful but limited,鈥� she says. 鈥淕eometric morphometrics allow us to isolate shape independently of size, which is crucial when comparing fossils of different sizes.鈥�

Freidline says this method has become the standard in paleoanthropology over the years, but it remains a specialized skill set requiring advanced software and programming. She brings this expertise to both her research and teaching at 麻豆原创.

Where Discovery Leads Next

Looking ahead, researchers hope to compare the Ethiopian and Moroccan fossils with other early human remains from Africa and Europe to better understand how ancient populations were related and how traits were passed on over time.

鈥淭here鈥檚 still a lot we don鈥檛 know, and every new fossil has the potential to change the story,鈥� Freidline says. 鈥淎dditional fossil discoveries may further clarify how these populations interacted, adapted, interbred and evolved.鈥�

For Freidline, this research has been professionally and personally meaningful.

鈥淚鈥檝e been interested in evolution, history and archaeology since I was a child, and my curiosity about paleoanthropology evolved when I was introduced to it in college,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hat experience opened the door for me to study human evolution through fossil remains and to ask big questions about how, when and where humans evolved, helping us better understand our deep history.鈥�

At just 5-feet 2-inches, she wasn鈥檛 the tallest on the volleyball court, but her fundamentals, determination and father鈥檚 support helped her secure a full-ride college scholarship. When her collegiate athletic career ended abruptly, Langgle was forced to confront a major insecurity: was she truly smart enough to find her place in the world? For this 麻豆原创 anthropology graduate, the answer came through perseverance, a community of like-minded peers and a rediscovered sense of purpose.

Breaking Ground

Langgle鈥檚 love for volleyball started at nine years old. Her father鈥檚 promise to help her achieve her dream of playing college volleyball became the reason she pursued higher education instead of joining the U.S. Marines like her father and uncles. However, losing her athletic scholarship derailed her plans and left her paying for college out of pocket.

鈥淎fter losing my athletic scholarship, I started to think about what I really wanted to do with my life. [麻豆原创] gave me the room to figure out what I wanted and didn’t want,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 knew that [麻豆原创] has opportunities that I could take advantage of, which is really what drew me to [it].鈥�

After transferring to 麻豆原创 in 2022, she found exactly what she needed: a community of mentors and peers who helped her rediscover her confidence.

Finding Anthropology 鈥� And Herself

Initially a history major, Langgle discovered her passion for anthropology while taking courses on the discipline, realizing its critical role in contributing knowledge for historians to write about. Joining 麻豆原创鈥檚 Hominids Anonymous club, the university鈥檚 official undergraduate anthropology club, introduced her to a network of like-minded students and internship opportunities.

鈥淚 found a community of peers and mentors who are supportive, uplifting and took me seriously right away 鈥� which hasn鈥檛 always been the case in my life,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 had a great foundation with the anthropology department, my advisors and just [麻豆原创] itself.鈥�

Her most transformative experience came through the Cape Canaveral Archaeological Mitigation Project, a for-credit internship in collaboration with the U.S. Space Force, where she helped excavate artifacts on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station鈥檚 property.

This experience unexpectedly allowed Langgle to find purpose in her past, deepening her connection to her family鈥檚 history as homesteaders from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

鈥淚 got to restore graves that were my direct descendants,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y grandma was born out there, and since people aren鈥檛 allowed there anymore, I was able to share [my experience] with her. Now I know what she’s talking about when she would tell me stories of her growing up.鈥�

Her internship also inspired her honors undergraduate thesis, which tackled a 200-year-old mystery of Florida mortuary practices. At her first professional archaeological conference, experienced archaeologists offered her invaluable feedback that helped shape her research.

鈥淚 called [Sandra Wheeler, a senior anthropology lecturer at 麻豆原创,] when I finally figured out my thesis,鈥� Langgle says. 鈥淪he was so excited, and we talked about [my discovery] for a long time. [That moment] inspired me to become a professor. I want to create those same moments [for students], helping them feel that pride and realize they can [accomplish] anything.鈥�

This shared excitement and inspiration is clearly mutual, as Wheeler reflects on Langgle’s growth throughout her academic journey.

“Melanie is an incredibly passionate, bright and driven student; it was such a pleasure watching her develop as a scholar through her anthropology coursework and honors undergraduate thesis research,” Wheeler says. “I am certain her future success in the field of archaeology will have great impacts on how we interpret and understand the past.”

Building a Foundation for the Future

Langgle takes pride in going above and beyond for her education. As a first-generation college student from a low-income family, she balanced multiple jobs to cover her college tuition, but she never let that stand in her way. She leveraged the resources at her disposal.

As a Burnett Honors Scholar, Langgle took advantage of her access to scholarships to fund conferences and research opportunities, including the University of Notre Dame鈥檚 Summer Research Opportunities Program. This past summer, Langgle broadened her skills by working in Midwestern fields digging up stone arrowheads to understand how the environment impacts prehistoric societies. She was introduced to new archaeological methods and grant writing, plus made connections within various departments at the university.

As Langgle prepares to graduate at 25, she looks back on her journey with gratitude.

鈥淭he most rewarding part of my 麻豆原创 journey has been finding my sense of purpose,鈥� she says. “My peers and mentors have instilled more confidence in me than I鈥檝e ever had. Through their encouragement, I鈥檓 applying to doctoral [programs].鈥�

While awaiting her admittance, Langgle is staying busy. She鈥檚 working on publications 鈥� one of which focuses on zooarchaeology 鈥� and has been accepted into the Irish Heritage School鈥檚 osteology program, where she鈥檒l spend a week in Ireland in March 2025.

鈥淢y time at 麻豆原创 reflects what can happen when I roll up my sleeves and take myself seriously,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 spent so much of my life doubting my capabilities, but being [at 麻豆原创] has taught me that that [mindset] was holding me back from reaching my full potential, and I鈥檓 incredibly grateful for that.鈥�

His studies focued on biological archaeology, which takes an anthropological approach to the study of the human body from modern and/or archaeological contexts.

The inspiration to get involved in the field came from a fascination with archaeology and ancient Greek and Egyptian societies in grade school, and an interest in storytelling and human connection that was nurtured through his work in theater and costuming.

鈥淚 kind of realized that my passion was telling human stories and letting people know that people of the past were just like us,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey loved. They laughed. They had hardships, they had inside jokes, and the best way you can get to know people of the past is through the bodies of the people themselves. Their bones can tell you what people ate, what illnesses they had and where they moved to. If you see that they moved later in their life, it’s like, 鈥榃hy did they move?鈥� 鈥�

Through his studies at 麻豆原创, he鈥檚 been able to investigate those stories. As a DirectConnect student, Binkowski loved the accessibility of being able to easily transfer from Valencia College to 麻豆原创. As a Florida native, remaining close to family (including his sister, who is a fellow Knight) was another reason he chose Knight Nation.

At 麻豆原创, one of the major projects he鈥檚 worked on was through the Cape Canaveral Archaeological Mitigation Project, a collaboration between the 麻豆原创 Department of Anthropology and the 45th Space Wing of the U.S. Space Force. 麻豆原创 and the Space Force examine one to two archaeological sites on the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) per field season. The goal of these explorations is to further understand the cultural significance of various sites located within CCSFS. The project allows students to get hands on archaeology experience by participating in cultural resource management.

鈥淚t is a really big deal in archaeology because most of the time you have to pay a lot of money to go to a field school, but with this, it is the cost of a three-credit hour class and your professors come with you,鈥� Binkowski says. 鈥淵ou get real cultural resources management experience. You learn real archaeological techniques and you just get to be part of a really cool program that I haven’t seen anywhere else.鈥�

Binkowski鈥檚 honors undergraduate thesis involved research into ancient Maya citizens from Belize. With the help of his advisor, Lana Williams, 麻豆原创 bioarcheologist senior lecturer, the study examined dietary trends in the area through X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, a non-destructive analytical technique that measures the elemental composition of materials by analyzing the X-rays they emit when excited by a primary X-ray source. Using HHXRF to examine the teeth of the ancient Maya people, Binkowski discerned trends that indicated high marine resource consumption in a coastal region. There were also changes in the data to suggest migration of some Maya people to different areas.

鈥淭hrough all the hard data there’s a story there. That graph is different because of the very human reason, and not because numbers are complicated sometimes,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t’s the humanity, the human story that’s buried within all of this numerical data that I really want people to focus on and see that archaeology and bioarcheology really connects us to our collective human past.鈥�

Through Binkowski鈥檚 work with Orange County Regional History Center, he serves as the resident archaeology specialist, using what he鈥檚 learned at 麻豆原创 on ancient Florida subjects. He also educates a range of ages and develops public history curriculum. During the pandemic, Binkowski took a break from his classes due to medical reasons and served as a substitute teacher for Osceola County, which has helped him in his current role at OCRHC.

An example of this is a lecture he did on the history of Celebration, Florida, as part of a series at the center.

鈥淥ne of my classes at 麻豆原创 was on the archaeology of Disney,鈥� Binkowski says, 鈥渟o I used that research, in combination with what I learned at the center, to develop my lecture, 鈥楥elebrating Celebration: History and Perspectives.鈥� 鈥�

After graduation, Binkowski will return to 麻豆原创 for the graduate anthropology program, where he will be expanding upon his undergraduate research with Williams. Beyond that, Binkowski would like to get involved in what he calls, 鈥渆dutainment,鈥� where his passion for archaeology and anthropology melds with entertainment to bring the past to the people in a consumable, relatable way.

鈥淚 want people to identify with people of the past, so I would love to develop some sort of program or experience that allows people to interact with archaeology in an ethical but also entertaining way,鈥� he says.

In a first-of-its-kind mission for the United States that spanned over seven years, the unmanned spacecraft mapped and studied the surface of the near-Earth asteroid Bennu, then retrieved a sample for researchers to study the asteroid鈥檚 composition.

Topping the list was a story on the world鈥檚 first energy-saving paint inspired by butterflies. The plasmonic paint utilizes a nanoscale structural arrangement of colorless materials 鈥� aluminum and aluminum oxide 鈥� instead of pigments to create colors. The paint can contribute to energy-saving efforts and help reduce environmental impacts.

Other stories included a $12.6 million Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency grant looking to create self-repairing, biological and human-engineered reef-mimicking structures. 麻豆原创 is helping design reef structures that will be used to mitigate coastal flooding, erosion and storm damage that threaten civilian and Department of Defense infrastructure and personnel. Another story featured new research on the earliest presence of Homo sapiens in Southeast Asia, pushing back the presence of humans in that part of the world by at least 20,000 years and a human presence in the region for at least 56,000 years.

Here are the Top 10 麻豆原创 Research News Stories of 2023:

1. 麻豆原创 Researcher Creates World鈥檚 First Energy-saving Paint 鈥� Inspired by Butterflies

2. The Long Journey of NASA鈥橲 OSIRIS-REx

3. Human Migration Timeline Redrawn by Fresh Fossil Analysis

4. New 麻豆原创-developed Battery Could Prevent Post-hurricane Electric Vehicle Fires

5. 麻豆原创 Researchers Are Advancing AI-assisted Drug Discovery

6. 麻豆原创 is Designing Self-repairing Oyster Reefs to Protect Florida鈥檚 Coastlines

7. New DOD-funded Project Will Develop Morphing Hypersonic Engine

8. 麻豆原创 Researchers Create Bioabsorbable Implants for Better Bone Healing

9. 麻豆原创 Team Awarded $2.3M Grant for Innovative Intervention to Prevent Falls

10. Deadly Frog Disease More Prevalent in Central Florida Than Expected, 麻豆原创 Study Finds

The annual top 10 list is based on聽麻豆原创 Today聽page views and coverage 麻豆原创 research received by global, national, state, and local media. The stories were generated by news releases and pitches from 麻豆原创 Communications and Marketing, 麻豆原创鈥檚 Office of Research and 麻豆原创鈥檚 colleges.

The findings are based on analysis of bones excavated from deep inside the Tam P脿 Ling Cave in northern Laos and the subject of a new publication published this week in .

Not only do the results reshape theories on human migration out of Africa, but it opens new insights into how humans settled in the lush, warm climate of Asia, says the study鈥檚 lead author, Sarah Freidline, an assistant professor in 麻豆原创鈥檚 .

Human fossils are rare in Southeast Asia. According to DNA analysis, migration out of Africa into Southeast Asia had previously been thought to have occurred sometime between 50 to 60,000 years ago. However, with the fossils studied by Freidline being aged at around 80,000 years old, this migration seems to have occurred much earlier. The cave鈥檚 location 186 miles inland is also significant, suggesting migratory ancestors explored well beyond coastlines and islands.

Freidline specializes in paleoanthropology, with an emphasis on the evolution of the human face. She already had a paper in the works on the excavated tibia and frontal skull bone when the test results brought some surprises.

鈥淲e were expecting the dating to be more around 60,000 years ago, not 80,000,鈥� she says. “Then when we got these results back, we had to re-evaluate the implications.鈥�

The study included researchers from around the world. Freidline was brought onto the project by her supervisor while in a post-doctorate program at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.

Freidline鈥檚 role included taking CT scans of the fossils and performing statistical shape analyses to confirm the fossils belonged to Homo sapiens.

A noticeable difference between this skull and typical skulls from Africa was how slender and modern the brow appeared, she says. This suggests the skull fragment belonged to an immigrant population instead of older hominins like Denisovans who were also in the region.

Despite doing it for a living, Freidline says studying such unprecedented material doesn鈥檛 lose its luster.

鈥�It is always exciting to be able to handle and see these fossils,鈥� she says. 鈥淓specially since they came from some of the earliest founders of Southeast Asia.鈥�

Freidline received her doctorate in anthropology from The City University of New York Graduate Center in 2012. She joined 麻豆原创 in 2020 as an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology, part of 麻豆原创鈥檚 .

Her journey to Saturday鈥檚 hooding ceremony began twelve years ago when she took her first anthropology classes as an undergrad at Minnesota鈥檚 St. Cloud State University. That ignited a passion for studying skeletal remains that took her to the south of France to study the bones of an order of Benedictine monks called Cluniacs.

Four years of research and doctoral work produced her dissertation, 鈥淓xamining Diet, Mobility and Social Dynamics in Southern Medieval France Using a Multi-Isotopic and GIS Approach.鈥�

The dissertation details what she learned about the diet and migration patterns of the ninth-13^th century individuals who lived and worked at the site in Laudun, about 90 minutes northwest of the Mediterranean city of Marseilles. The history of Laudun includes a Roman settlement.

The 鈥渋ntegrative鈥� aspect of her terminal degree comes from the different disciplines applied to unlock the secrets held by the bones. Stable isotope analysis of bone fragments reveals what people ate during that time and what percentage of the population were locals versus migrants. She also incorporated GIS mapping to provide a more complete picture of site location.

Funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant, Lambda Alpha Research Grant and Rust Family Foundation kept the work buoyant, along with 麻豆原创鈥檚 Doctoral Research Support Award and the Trevor Colburn Anthropological Endowment Fund.

鈥淏eing able to secure a project that I was genuinely interested in and getting the grants are definitely highlights from the past four years,鈥� she says.

Holmstrom鈥檚 advisor Senior Associate Dean Tosha Dupras praised her ability to navigate an international research project during a pandemic. Dupras also commends Holmstrom鈥檚 commitment to the Department of Anthropology beyond research, including co-founding an Anthropology Mentorship Program.

鈥淚t has been a fantastic experience serving as Jane鈥檚 advisor, and I am proud to now have her as a colleague,鈥� Dupras says.

This weekend will bring celebrations with her family, including parents, a husband and twin daughters. Then six months of publications and pursuing funding before starting her next project, a similar study of medieval Cistercian nuns in Hy猫res, France. A pilot study on the remains has already provided promising results, and Holmstrom is excited to begin radiocarbon dating the bones.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait to get there,鈥� she says.

The NSF approved the funding request because in addition to advancing scientific research, it鈥檚 meant to foster interdisciplinary collaboration at the 麻豆原创 and beyond. Rather than siloed in one department鈥檚 lab, the state-of-the-art X-ray Photoelectron Spectrometer (XPS) with ultrafine imaging capability will be used by researchers from physicists to anthropologists.

鈥淲e went across the campus, from engineering to archaeology,鈥� said Professor Sudipta Seal, who led the effort to acquire the technology. 鈥淎 really interesting facet of this collaboration is how this instrument 鈥� beyond medicine and manufacturing and nanotechnology 鈥� will help us understand the origin of civilization. That鈥檚 the impact of getting this instrument on campus.鈥�

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyzes the surface chemistry of a material by irradiating a solid surface with a beam of X-rays while measuring the kinetic energy and electrons emitted from the surface. It can be used to examine corrosion on medical implants, help develop high-end microchips, characterize nanomaterials, study the behavior of biological cells over time, and detect trace elements in forensic cases, among other things.

鈥淭he breadth and the width of what the instrument can do is phenomenal, from electronics to medical to archaeological to manufacturing to entertainment to forensics 鈥� it goes on and on,鈥� said Seal, chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and past director of both 麻豆原创鈥檚聽NanoScience Technology Center and its Advanced Materials Processing Analysis Center.

Those in 麻豆原创鈥檚 Department of Anthropology in the College of Sciences hope the instrument will help answer questions about the materials and technologies of ancient cultures.聽Knowing how a material is composed聽can answer questions about ancient trade, innovation or even human diet.

鈥淭he receipt of this grant highlights the already interdisciplinary nature of anthropological research, particularly archaeology,鈥� said Professor Tosha Dupras, chair of the Department of Anthropology. 鈥淭echnologies and methodologies such as the XPS that are used more widely in other scientific disciplines can often be utilized by anthropologists to inform on questions of the past. This grant also illustrates a successful inter-college collaboration, and the true nature of interdisciplinary research.鈥�

麻豆原创 has an obsolete X-ray spectrometer 鈥� 1980s technology that was donated to the university in the late 1990s 鈥� but its capabilities are limited.

The $629,650 NSF grant will fund most of the purchase of the new instrument, with mandatory matching funds from the university paying the rest. It will be housed in the new Research I building, formerly called Interdisciplinary Research and Incubator, which is nearing completion.

It will be the most powerful instrument of its type in a 100-mile radius, Seal said, so it鈥檚 expected to draw researchers from area hospitals, corporations and others outside academia who will be able to use it.

Collaborators on the grant application included Assistant Professor Scott Branting from the Department of Anthropology, Assistant Professor Tania Roy from the NanoScience Technology Center, Professor Yongho Sohn from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Assistant Professor Xiaofeng Feng from the Department of Physics, Assistant Professor Yang Yang from the NanoScience Technology Center, and Amit Kumar, associate director of research programs at BRIDG.

Growing up, Starbuck wasn鈥檛 interested in college. His mother worked minimum-wage jobs and his father wasn鈥檛 around. But school opened a door for him, allowing a glance at what the future could look like.

鈥淚 bought into the idea that an undergraduate education could take me somewhere different and ran with it,鈥� Starbuck said. 鈥淚 worked in a lot of restaurants in high school, and it was easy to see that those paths have limited opportunities.鈥�

Indiana University 鈥� Purdue University Indianapolis offered him a spot at their campus through the McNair Scholars program and his higher education career took off.

While some may say anthropology is a career without modern applications, Starbuck鈥檚 work over the past 13 years demonstrates the power of the field to make a difference in today鈥檚 world.

As an undergraduate, Starbuck began studying facial reconstruction from a forensic context. Starbuck later went to graduate school at Penn State and became interested in Down syndrome, particularly how an extra copy of a chromosome 21 alters facial development and appearance.

His research interests led him to a post-doctoral position in a dental school looking at unilateral and bilateral cases of cleft lip with or without cleft palate. Traditionally, cleft lips and palates are repaired by a plastic surgeon when the child is young. But those children can later develop dental and breathing issues, requiring additional surgeries. Starbuck realized they were forgetting something: Everything in the skull is related 鈥� a concept known to anthropologists as morphological integration.

鈥淚n the skull, there were different issues that weren鈥檛 addressed because plastic surgeons tend to focus on making the soft-tissues of the face look right, but children born with clefts may have impaired breathing abilities due to internal, deep bony obstructions that make them more susceptible to infections,鈥� Starbuck said.

By looking at 3D cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of patient skulls, Starbuck and his plastic surgeon collaborators at the Indiana University School of Medicine discovered that extra bony material obstructing the nasal airways needed to be removed to improve nasal breathing. These findings were published in the Annals of Plastic Surgery. This research provides doctors with additional options when completing corrective surgery on patients with cleft lip and palate.

Starbuck鈥檚 recent research focus also has the potential to help children with Down syndrome.

Working with geneticist Randall Roper at Indiana University 鈥� Purdue University Indianapolis, mouse models were treated with EGCG, an extract from green tea, to see if skull shape and structure would improve.

There was a suspicion that EGCG might tone down over expression of a gene known as Dyrk1a, which plays a strong role in skull development and is triplicated in Ts65Dn Down syndrome mouse models. After the experiments, the mice showed corrected skull vaults, suggesting a permanent change in the skull鈥檚 developmental trajectory that is directly attributable to early EGCG treatment.

The team published its findings in Human Molecular Genetics in 2016.

Now, Starbuck and Roper, along with collaborator Paul Territo at the Indiana University School of Medicine, want to explore EGCG鈥檚 impact more closely.

鈥淭he recent work has opened up the possibility that some anatomical changes and health issues associated with Down syndrome can be reduced or maybe even eliminated to improve health and quality of life for individuals with trisomy 21,鈥� Starbuck said. 鈥淏ut we need to do more research on the skull and brain to be sure, and funding is absolutely necessary to carry out these experiments.鈥�

The team has submitted proposals to several funding agencies including the National Institutes of Health and the Lejeune Foundation.

While the team awaits word on new funding, Starbuck and his students continue their work at 麻豆原创鈥檚 Image Analysis and Morphometrics Lab.

Undergraduate student researchers are recording computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance image (MRI) scans of children with Down syndrome in collaboration with a local doctor. They are creating a database of qualitative and quantitative information for future research to identify and quantify the ways that trisomy 21 alters skull and brain formation and growth.

Starbuck鈥檚 students come from a variety of majors including anthropology, biology, biomedical sciences and nursing.

鈥淢any of the students in my lab had no idea that the research I conduct is considered anthropology, so I continue to change their perspectives one mind at a time,鈥� Starbuck said.

Shelby Lucia, an anthropology major and research assistant in Starbuck鈥檚 lab, said this research experience will give her a leg up when she gets to medical school because it emphasizes understanding anatomy and technology while providing her with an authentic research experience.

鈥淎nthropology is so broad it gives you a well-rounded perspective of humans and human life,鈥� she said. 鈥淛ust taking a pre-med class on its own wouldn鈥檛 give you that.鈥�

Getting people to see anthropology can change lives is one of Starbuck鈥檚 goals.

鈥淎nthropologists tend to have excellent research skills, interpretive analysis, and the ability to communicate effectively in written and oral contexts,鈥� Starbuck said. 鈥淭hese skills are transferable to many careers in today鈥檚 job market, although employers do not always know that someone with anthropological training can fulfill their needs. As anthropologists, we have to go the extra mile to educate the public about the power of our field and the significant contributions we make on a regular basis to improve the world we live in.鈥�