Project description
A new approach to human dental analysis
Understanding human evolution relies on accurate identification and phylogenetic analysis of fossils. Teeth, crucial for this due to their genetic control and excellent preservation, are currently analysed individually. This method overlooks important variations across the entire tooth row, leading to unresolved issues in hominin systematics. Moreover, missing teeth in fossils complicate analyses further. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the TOOTHROW project will develop a framework to analyse the entire tooth row, even with incomplete specimens. Using geometric morphometrics and multivariate statistics, TOOTHROW will enable the reconstruction of missing teeth and analyse the full dental arcade. Hosted by the University of Vienna, this project will enhance morphometric applications in palaeontology, morphology, and forensics.
Objective
Our understanding of human evolution depends on reliable taxonomic identification of fossils and an understanding of their phylogenetic relationships. Teeth are a key source of evidence: they are well-preserved in the fossil record and their morphology is under strong genetic control. State-of-the-art methods involve 3D morphological analysis of internal dental structures, but due to statistical challenges and fossils frequently missing teeth, these analyses focus on each tooth position individually. This means that important aspects of variation across the tooth row are not captured, and as a result, key issues in hominin systematics remain unresolved.
TOOTHROW will overcome these limitations by developing a novel methodological framework to analyse the morphology of the entire tooth row in a single analysis, even in incomplete specimens. I will use cutting-edge geometric morphometrics and multivariate statistics to estimate the morphology of teeth missing from fossil specimens, providing a powerful reconstruction tool. Morphological analysis of the complete dental arcade will be developed and tested on large extant hominoid samples, before being applied to two fossil hominins: Homo habilis and Homo naledi. Both species are central to our understanding of human evolution, yet the relationship between them and other hominins remains unresolved.
The R-based analytical toolkit developed by TOOTHROW will advance applications of geometric morphometrics to include multiple skeletal elements, with applications in fields such as palaeontology, vertebrate morphology and forensics. The University of Vienna, home to a leading competence centre in morphometrics, and embedded in large networks of anthropological and evolutionary research, is the ideal host for this project. Results will be disseminated to a broad range of audiences through scientific conferences, publications in high-impact open access journals, an open-source R toolkit and outreach activities.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences palaeontology
- social sciences sociology anthropology physical anthropology
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01
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1010 WIEN
Austria
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