Speakers: Casey Holliday, PhD

Casey Holliday, PhD

Associate Professor of Anatomy, Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences
University of Missouri School of Medicine

 

Dr. Casey M. Holliday is an Associate Professor of Anatomy in the Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences in the University of Missouri School of Medicine, University of Missouri. He earned his Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Ohio University and joined the University of Missouri in 2009 where he teaches courses in Medical Clinical Gross Anatomy, Evolutionary Morphology and Imaging & Computational Biology. His research focuses on comparative vertebrate biomechanics with an emphasis on cranial developmental and evolutionary biology of reptiles.

 

Contrast Imaging, Comparative Anatomy, and Evolutionary Vertebrate Biomechanics

Exploring the origin and evolution of vertebrate diversity is critical to understanding the past, present, and future of life on Earth. We investigate how animals are built and how they work so that we can better understand how they change over time. Recent advances in tomography and contrast imaging are fueling a revolution in organismal developmental and evolutionary biology. By integrating classical anatomical techniques with imaging, 3D modeling, and comparative approaches we can now test hypotheses of neurological, musculoskeletal and craniofacial adaptation in reptiles, exotic animals and even extinct species. Today, I share journeys in visualizing the 3D soft tissues and biomechanics underlying skull function in birds and reptiles, exploring the origins of mammalian ear muscles, and revealing features we share with our primate ancestors. Going forward, collaborations with curators, veterinarians, and teachers will unveil new paleontological discoveries, develop clinical treatments of exotic species, and deploy educational materials into our classrooms and community.