Brigitte Demes, Professor emerita of Anatomical Sciences
Stony Brook University
Health Sciences Center L8 084
I'm currently involved in studying the facultative bipedal gait of chimpanzees with the goal of better understanding the specific demands it places on the musculoskeletal system. As we share a common ancestor with chimpanzees, and the earliest hominin bipeds had postcranial skeletons that were similar to those of chimpanzees in a number of features, the study of chimpanzee bipedalism can inform reconstructions of the gait of fossil hominins at the transition to habitual bipedal posture and gait.
Selected Publications:
Demes B, Thompson NE, O'Neill MC, Umberger BR. 2015. Center of mass mechanics of chimpanzee bipedal walking. Am J Phys Anthropol 156: 422–433. Demes et al 2015
Demes B, O'Neill M. 2013. Ground reaction forces and center of mass mechanics of bipedal capuchin monkeys: Implications for the evolution of human bipedalism. Am J Phys Anthropol 150: 76 - 86. Demes and O'Neill 2013
Curriculum vitae: Demes CV
Research Interests:
I am interested in the interactions between form and function in the primate musculoskeletal system. Besides theoretical biomechanics I'm using a variety of experimental methods to test hypotheses on musculokeletal function, among them 3D motion analysis and substrate reaction force recordings from force transducers that mimic terrestrial and arboreal substrates, and in vivo bone strain recordings to quantify the loading regimes of long bones.
Research Interests:
I am interested in the interactions between form and function in the primate musculoskeletal system. Besides theoretical biomechanics I'm using a variety of experimental methods to test hypotheses on musculokeletal function, among them 3D motion analysis and substrate reaction force recordings from force transducers that mimic terrestrial and arboreal substrates, and in vivo bone strain recordings to quantify the loading regimes of long bones.
On the morphology side of the equation I quantify muscle mass, cross sections and lever arms to estimate muscle moments at joints and bone cross-sectional properties to estimate the resistance of bones to loading regimes like bending and axial compression.
I'm currently involved in studying the facultative bipedal gait of chimpanzees with the goal of better understanding the specific demands it places on the musculoskeletal system. As we share a common ancestor with chimpanzees, and the earliest hominin bipeds had postcranial skeletons that were similar to those of chimpanzees in a number of features, the study of chimpanzee bipedalism can inform reconstructions of the gait of fossil hominins at the transition to habitual bipedal posture and gait.
Selected Publications:
Demes B, Thompson NE, O'Neill MC, Umberger BR. 2015. Center of mass mechanics of chimpanzee bipedal walking. Am J Phys Anthropol 156: 422–433. Demes et al 2015
Demes B, O'Neill M. 2013. Ground reaction forces and center of mass mechanics of bipedal capuchin monkeys: Implications for the evolution of human bipedalism. Am J Phys Anthropol 150: 76 - 86. Demes and O'Neill 2013
Demes B. 2011. Three-dimensional kinematics of capuchin bipedalism. Am J Phys Anthropol 145: 147 - 155. Demes 2011
