Dr. Emma Pomeroy

Biography

Emma Pomeroy's research focuses on understanding past and present variation in human health, growth, and morphology influenced by evolutionary processes such as adaptation, neutral variation, and plasticity, particularly in relation to reproduction and pelvic morphology. Her current projects span multiple regions including South America, South Asia, and Europe. One of her interests lies in the evolution and adaptation of the human pelvis in response to environmental factors, with implications for birth complications. Recent investigations include studying the evolutionary origins of low lean mass in contemporary South Asians, a condition associated with an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases, the origins of which remain unknown. Dr. Pomeroy employs clinical imaging in her research to relate lean mass to skeletal dimensions and to track patterns of lean mass variation according to the South Asian skeletal record spanning 11,000 years. Her work also involves archaeological excavations, such as those at the Shanidar Cave in Iraqi Kurdistan, an important Neanderthal site. In a collaborative project, Dr. Pomeroy is investigating the health, diet, and migration of skeletons from a 16th-17th century mariner's hospital in Gibraltar. Through her academic contributions, she aims to provide new insights into human evolution and its biological underpinnings.

Research Interests