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Biren A. Patel, PhD

Professor of Clinical Integrative Anatomical Sciences

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Phone +1 323 442 2093
Email birenpat@usc.edu
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Overview

I am a biological anthropologist with scholarly interests in evolutionary and functional morphology and my research programs investigate a variety of questions about human and non-human primate evolution. In particular, I am interested in better understanding the evolution of primate locomotor behavior, and more specifically the evolution of human and non-human primate hand and foot function.

Publications

  • Morphological and evolutionary insights into the keystone element of the human foot’s medial longitudinal arch Commun Biol. 2023 10 19; 6(1):1061. . View in PubMed
  • A geometric morphometric approach to investigate primate proximal phalanx diaphysis shape Am J Biol Anthropol. 2022 03; 177(3):581-602. . View in PubMed
  • Bone volume in the distal calcaneus correlates with body size but not leap frequency in galagids Am J Biol Anthropol. 2022 01; 177(1):27-38. . View in PubMed
  • Evolutionary trends of the lateral foot in catarrhine primates: Contextualizing the fourth metatarsal of Australopithecus afarensis J Hum Evol. 2021 12; 161:103078. . View in PubMed
  • Morphological analysis of new Dryas Monkey specimens from the Central Congo Basin: Taxonomic considerations and an emended diagnosis Am J Phys Anthropol. 2021 11; 176(3):361-389. . View in PubMed
  • Homo naledi pollical metacarpal shaft morphology is distinctive and intermediate between that of australopiths and other members of the genus Homo J Hum Evol. 2021 09; 158:103048. . View in PubMed
  • Medial Femoral Trochlea Osteochondral Graft: A Quantitative Anatomic Comparison to the Proximal Pole of the Scaphoid J Wrist Surg. 2020 Aug; 9(4):283-288. . View in PubMed
  • Strength properties of extant hominoid hallucal and pollical metapodials J Hum Evol. 2020 06; 143:102774. . View in PubMed
  • Calcaneal elongation and bone strength in leaping galagids Am J Phys Anthropol. 2020 03; 171(3):430-438. . View in PubMed
  • New Middle Miocene Ape (Primates: Hylobatidae) from Ramnagar, India fills major gaps in the hominoid fossil record Proc Biol Sci. 2020 09 09; 287(1934):20201655. . View in PubMed
  • Phalangeal curvature in a chimpanzee raised like a human: Implications for inferring arboreality in fossil hominins Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020 05 26; 117(21):11223-11225. . View in PubMed
  • Getting its feet on the ground: Elucidating Paralouatta’s semi-terrestriality using the virtual morpho-functional toolbox Frontiers in Earth Science. 2020; 8:79. . View in PubMed
  • Evaluation of Articular Surface Similarity of Hemi-Hamate Grafts and Proximal Middle Phalanx Morphology: A 3D Geometric Morphometric Approach J Hand Surg Am. 2019 Feb; 44(2):121-128. . View in PubMed
  • Histovariability in human clavicular cortical bone microstructure and its mechanical implications J Anat. 2019 11; 235(5):873-882. . View in PubMed
  • New Sivapithecus specimen from Ramnagar (Jammu & Kashmir), India and a taxonomic revision of Ramnagar hominoids Journal of Human Evolution. 2019; 135:102665. . View in PubMed
  • Effects of selective breeding for high voluntary wheel-running behavior on femoral nutrient canal size and abundance in house mice J Anat. 2018 08; 233(2):193-203. . View in PubMed
  • Inter-ray variation in metatarsal strength properties in humans and African apes: Implications for inferring bipedal biomechanics in the Olduvai Hominid 8 foot J Hum Evol. 2018 08; 121:147-165. . View in PubMed
  • Subchondral Bone Radiodensity Patterns in the Glenoid Fossa of Ape and Human Scapulae Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2018 05; 301(5):776-785. . View in PubMed
  • Evolution and function of the hominin forefoot Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018 08 28; 115(35):8746-8751. . View in PubMed
  • Ontogeny of hallucal metatarsal rigidity and shape in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) and chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) J Anat. 2018 Jan; 232(1):39-53. . View in PubMed
  • Catarrhine hallucal metatarsals from the early Miocene site of Songhor, Kenya J Hum Evol. 2017 07; 108:176-198. . View in PubMed
  • New sivaladapid primate from Lower Siwalik deposits surrounding Ramnagar (Jammu and Kashmir State), India J Hum Evol. 2017 01; 102:21-41. . View in PubMed
  • Adaptation to bipedal gait and fifth metatarsal structural properties in Australopithecus, Paranthropus, and HomoC. R. Palevol. 2017; 16(5-6):585-599. . View in PubMed
  • The locomotion of Babakotia radofilai inferred from epiphyseal and diaphyseal morphology of the humerus and femur J Morphol. 2016 09; 277(9):1199-218. . View in PubMed
  • Trabecular architecture in the StW 352 fossil hominin calcaneus J Hum Evol. 2016 08; 97:145-58. . View in PubMed
  • An Early Pleistocene human pedal phalanx from Swartkrans, SKX 16699, and the antiquity of the human lateral forefootC. R. Palevol. 2016; 15(8):978–987. . View in PubMed
  • Morphological diversity in the digital rays of primate handsIn: Kivell TL, Lemelin P, Richmond BG, and Schmitt D (editors), The Evolution of the Primate Hand: Anatomical, Developmental, Functional and Paleontological Evidence. 2016; pp. 55-100. . View in PubMed
  • Distinct functional roles of primate grasping hands and feet during arboreal quadrupedal locomotion J Hum Evol. 2015 Nov; 88:79-84. . View in PubMed
  • Functional aspects of metatarsal head shape in humans, apes, and Old World monkeys J Hum Evol. 2015 Sep; 86:136-46. . View in PubMed
  • Mouse hallucal metatarsal cross-sectional geometry in a simulated fine branch niche J Morphol. 2015 Jul; 276(7):759-65. . View in PubMed
  • Electromyography of crural and pedal muscles in tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella): Implications for hallucal grasping behavior and first metatarsal morphology in euprimates Am J Phys Anthropol. 2015 Apr; 156(4):553-64. . View in PubMed
  • Functional morphology of the hallucal metatarsal with implications for inferring grasping ability in extinct primates Am J Phys Anthropol. 2015 Mar; 156(3):327-48. . View in PubMed
  • Exploring phylogenetic and functional signals in complex morphologies: the hamate of extant anthropoids as a test-case study Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2015 Jan; 298(1):212-29. . View in PubMed
  • Geometric properties and comparative biomechanics of Homo floresiensis mandibles J Hum Evol. 2014 Mar; 68:36-46. . View in PubMed
  • New Lower Siwalik localities near Ramnagar, India: implications for the earliest Asian great apes and other mammalian linages Select Publications of the Palaeontological Society of India. 2014; 5:353-365. . View in PubMed
  • A resampling approach and implications for estimating the phalangeal index from unassociated hand bones in fossil primates Am J Phys Anthropol. 2013 Jun; 151(2):280-9. . View in PubMed
  • Humeral cross-sectional shape in suspensory primates and sloths Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2013 Apr; 296(4):545-56. . View in PubMed
  • Ontogenetic scaling of fore- and hind limb posture in wild chacma baboons (Papio hamadryas ursinus) PLoS One. 2013; 8(7):e71020. . View in PubMed
  • Joint loads in marsupial ankles reflect habitual bipedalism versus quadrupedalism PLoS One. 2013; 8(3):e58811. . View in PubMed
  • Cercopithecoid primate postcranial fossils from Cooper’s D, South Africa GeoBios. 2013; 46:381-394. . View in PubMed
  • New primate first metatarsals from the Paleogene of Egypt and the origin of the anthropoid big toe J Hum Evol. 2012 Jul; 63(1):99-120. . View in PubMed
  • Electromyography of wrist and finger flexor muscles in olive baboons (Papio anubis) J Exp Biol. 2012 Jan 01; 215(Pt 1):115-23. . View in PubMed
  • The endocranial petrosal anatomy of Bothriogenys (Mammalia, Artiodactyla, Anthracotheriidae), and petrosal volume and density comparisons among aquatic and terrestrial artiodactylans and outgroups Journal Paleontology. 2012; 86:44-50. . View in PubMed
  • Algorithms to automatically quantify the geometric similarity of anatomical surfaces Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Nov 08; 108(45):18221-6. . View in PubMed
  • Metatarsal fusion pattern and developmental morphology of the Olduvai Hominid 8 foot: Evidence of adolescence J Hum Evol. 2011 Jan; 60(1):58-69. . View in PubMed
  • Apparent density of the primate calcaneo-cuboid joint and its association with locomotor mode, foot posture, and the “midtarsal break” Am J Phys Anthropol. 2010 Jun; 142(2):180-93. . View in PubMed
  • Functional morphology of cercopithecoid primate metacarpals J Hum Evol. 2010 Apr; 58(4):320-37. . View in PubMed
  • Dynamic pressure patterns in the hands of olive baboons (Papio anubis) during terrestrial locomotion: implications for cercopithecoid primate hand morphology Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2010 Apr; 293(4):710-8. . View in PubMed
  • The interplay between speed, kinetics, and hand postures during primate terrestrial locomotion Am J Phys Anthropol. 2010 Feb; 141(2):222-34. . View in PubMed
  • Hallucal grasping in Nycticebus coucang: further implications for the functional significance of a large peroneal process J Hum Evol. 2010 Jan; 58(1):33-42. . View in PubMed
  • Distal forelimb kinematics in Erythrocebus patas and Papio anubis during walking and galloping International Journal of Primatology. 2010; 31:191-207. . View in PubMed
  • Comparative functional morphology of the primate peroneal process J Hum Evol. 2009 Dec; 57(6):721-31. . View in PubMed
  • Terrestrial adaptations in the hands of Equatorius africanus revisited J Hum Evol. 2009 Dec; 57(6):763-72. . View in PubMed
  • Not so fast: speed effects on forelimb kinematics in cercopithecine monkeys and implications for digitigrade postures in primates Am J Phys Anthropol. 2009 Sep; 140(1):92-112. . View in PubMed
  • Apparent density patterns in subchondral bone of the sloth and anteater forelimb Biol Lett. 2008 Oct 23; 4(5):486-9. . View in PubMed
  • Telemetered electromyography of peroneus longus in Varecia variegata and Eulemur rubriventer: implications for the functional significance of a large peroneal process J Hum Evol. 2007 Aug; 53(2):119-34. . View in PubMed
  • Body mass distribution and gait mechanics in fat-tailed dwarf lemurs (Cheirogaleus medius) and patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) J Hum Evol. 2007 Jul; 53(1):26-40. . View in PubMed
  • Cercopithecoid cervical vertebral morphology and implications for the presence of Theropithecus in early Pleistocene Europe J Hum Evol. 2007 Feb; 52(2):113-29. . View in PubMed
  • Bone density spatial patterns in the distal radius reflect habitual hand postures adopted by quadrupedal primates J Hum Evol. 2007 Feb; 52(2):130-41. . View in PubMed
  • Dental metric comparisons of Morotopithecus and Afropithecus: implications for the validity of the genus Morotopithecus J Hum Evol. 2006 Nov; 51(5):506-12. . View in PubMed
  • Habitual use of the primate forelimb is reflected in the material properties of subchondral bone in the distal radius J Anat. 2006 Jun; 208(6):659-70. . View in PubMed
  • Modeling masticatory muscle force in finite element analysis: sensitivity analysis using principal coordinates analysis Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol. 2005 Apr; 283(2):288-99. . View in PubMed
  • The hominoid proximal radius: re-interpreting locomotor behaviors in early hominins J Hum Evol. 2005 Apr; 48(4):415-32. . View in PubMed
  • 2005 Apr; 283(2):275-87. . View in PubMed
  • Form and function of the oblique cord (chorda obliqua) in anthropoid primates Primates. 2005 Jan; 46(1):47-57. . View in PubMed

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