PhD in Anthropology - Biological Anthropology in La Jolla United States | University of California, San Diego

Biological Anthropology seeks to comprehend the beginnings, development, structural intricacy, and social-environmental dynamics of both human and primate communities. Our research investigates primate evolution across multiple scales, from microscopic (genes and cellular structures) to broader social and environmental contexts (group dynamics, cultures, and habitats). Utilizing advanced molecular methods, we study diversity extending past genetic material (including epigenetic markers, sugar molecules, regenerative cells, and brain cell variations), with particular emphasis on how social environments interact with neurological foundations of sophisticated primate behaviors. Field observations of wild baboon behavior and ecology inform our understanding of adaptive processes. This approach reshapes our inquiries into human evolutionary pathways, proving especially significant during the rapid environmental shifts characteristic of the current Anthropocene era.