Physical Anthropology & Comparative Anatomy Group - Honours in 2009

An Honours project undertaken in this lab would be administered by the Discipline of Anatomy & Histology.

Research in the Shellshear Museum focuses on human osteology with a focus on the identification of skeletal remains. There are a lack of standards for the forensic identification of skeletal remains in Australia. We are interested in finding methods to identify ways of determining ancestry, sex, age and stature of those remains found in NSW and particularly in the Sydney region. Present research focuses on discriminating between human and non-human bone fragments and determination of sex of juveniles from dentition. Other areas of research include the clinical implications of human cranial variations and the investigation of cranial and body proportions of Homo floresiensis.

Collections in the Shellshear Museum which are available for research include a large collection of Melanesian skulls, a collection of skeletal remains from Pella, Jordan and a large varied range of mammal skulls and dentitions.

Description and analysis of a male skeleton with Marfan Syndrome (MfS)

Supervisor + contact details:

• Dr Denise Donlon

This project entails description and analysis of one skeleton, from a donor to the Department of Forensic Medicine who expressed the wish that his skeleton be used for medical research.

Marfan Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder affecting the connective tissue. It is caused by the mutation of the gene which produces the protein fibrillin, which binds the cells together. The defective gene therefore, either produces an insufficient amount and/or an inferior strength of the protein, which weakens the connective tissues, rendering them unable to withstand normal stresses.

Skeletal features are abnormally long limbs and digits with joint laxity leading to a higher risk of dislocation under normal physical stress and early onset of osteoarthritis. There can be vertebral (spinal) deformity such as scoliosis, thoracic lordosis and/or lumbar/sacral complications. A dental abnormality identified with MfS is a high arched palate leading to overcrowding of teeth with a pronounced overbite.