Welcome to the latest Sully Asks A Scientist (SAAS for short)! This one features my super-cool friend Julie, a fellow 5th-year 5th-floor grad student in Penn State's Anth department/building. Julie studies the links between health, faces, and genetics, and her lab is actually looking for participants for a study right now! If you are interested in contributing to their research, learning a bit about hellbender salamanders, or getting some pretty great coding-music recommendations, read on :)
As a quick reminder, these SAAS guest blog posts will feature a Q&A format that will hopefully allow you to learn about who these scientists are as people. I'll also be sure to incorporate plenty of links for you to have quick and easy access to social media profiles, websites, articles, and other means of finding out more about each guest's research. Please leave some comments and let me know if there are other questions you'd like answered, or scientists you'd be keen on reading about. Enjoy!
What is your elevator pitch? AKA what do you do/study?
I study the genetics and evolution of the human face. This basically means that I use computer code to analyze the genetic data associated with thousands of 3D photographs, after those 3D photographs have been turned into lots of data points. I’m most interested in facial asymmetry, because we all are a little asymmetric but no one really knows why. Most of the hypotheses think that it has something to do with nutrition or really big stresses (think: wars and natural disasters), but some people think that your genetics influences your asymmetry too. I aim to try and figure it out!
I study the genetics and evolution of the human face. This basically means that I use computer code to analyze the genetic data associated with thousands of 3D photographs, after those 3D photographs have been turned into lots of data points. I’m most interested in facial asymmetry, because we all are a little asymmetric but no one really knows why. Most of the hypotheses think that it has something to do with nutrition or really big stresses (think: wars and natural disasters), but some people think that your genetics influences your asymmetry too. I aim to try and figure it out!
We recently published a paper in Nature Genetics that I’m really pleased with. It was a massive effort between four institutions, and I’m really happy that I was involved and that the group is still working together and coming up with cool research.
The Shriver lab is recruiting for a new study! -------------------------------> We’re interested in how DNA influences appearance, as well as collecting a Facial Database for Disney Research to study facial movement and improve animation technologies! If you are interested in volunteering, follow this link to take an eligibility screening survey. Participants will receive $25 for their participation, and a subset will be given the option to receive an MRI scan of their head.
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