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Alana Sharp

@acsharp.bsky.social
308 followers 419 following 48 posts

Reader (Assoc. Prof.) at University of Liverpool, Evolutionary Morphology & Biomechanics (EMB) research group 💀Mostly cranial form & function in mammals 🐇🐀🦇🐒🦍🐘🦒🦬🦏 🔗 @livevobiomech.bsky.social

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Reposted by Alana Sharp
Professor John R. Hutchinson @johnrhutchinson.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
#ICVM2027 @isvmorph.bsky.social is shaping up! 11 Symposia and 3 Workshops are now formally accepted! This will be a don't-miss conference! More details: www.isvm-icvm.org
Symposia:
1.	Secondary aquatic amniotes through deep time: evolution, ecology, and preservation
2.	Building movement: muscle-bone interactions across vertebrate taxa
3.	Giants and dwarfs: the impact of extreme body size change
4.	Paleo-evo-devo: integrating evolution, development, and the fossil record
5.	Integrating approaches to study the repeated evolution of burrowing in vertebrates
6.	The vertebrate skull as a multifunctional structure
7.	Evodevo on fish & chicks: from Halifax and Nova Scotia to the rest of the world
8.	Ecological and developmental morphology of vertebrate teeth
9.	Fish morphology across deep time illuminated by traditional and cutting-edge methods: a symposium honoring the contributions of John G. Maisey
10.	Evolving in TREE dimensions: new perspectives on arboreal adaptations in tetrapods
11.	Functional adaptive landscapes: combining morphology, function, and evolutionary theory

Workshops:
1.	Functional adaptive landscapes: combining morphology, function, and evolutionary theory
2.	Biomechanical analyses in MATLAB
3.	Regionalization in serially homologous structures using morphoregions
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Bob Wong @bbmwong.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Are you an ecologist/evolutionary biologist looking for an ongoing academic position? Monash University’s School of Biological Sciences is hiring! Come join us in Melbourne, Australia! Details here: careers.pageuppeople.com/513/cw/en/jo...
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Heather F. Smith. Ph.D. @heatherfsmith.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) paper now in @anatrecord.bsky.social's Feeding Biomechanics Special Issue! Using dissection & diceCT, we show powerful bites aren't just about bigger muscles—muscle architecture, skull mechanics & fascia may be key🐺 anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
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BioMedEng Association @biomedeng.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
📢 Presenting at #BioMedEng26? All presenters must be registered to present. Early bird registration closes Thursday 31 July, so secure your place now and save: www.biomedeng.org/conference/biomedeng26/registration/ We look forward to welcoming you to Liverpool this September!
biomedeng.org
Registration: The BioMedEng Association
The Association of Biomedical Engineers, Medical Engineers and Bioengineers
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The Anatomical Record @anatrecord.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
How do leading tools compare for reconstructing CT muscle architecture? Xfiber & Goodfibes produce similar fiber length/orientation results in high-quality scans but Goodfibes is more sensitive to lower resolution & curved fascicles Zobek et al.: anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
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Alana Sharp @acsharp.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Ki Crabtree presents her PhD on head centre of mass and how this has changed in humans compared to chimps 💀🐵🦍
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Alana Sharp @acsharp.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Roger Kissane from @livevobiomech.bsky.social at #AnatSocSummer26 in Bristol. Rabbits are weird at everything, including chewing. But why are they so different?
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Alana Sharp @acsharp.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Emily Baxter from our @livevobiomech.bsky.social presents her PhD on skull growth in children and craniosynostosis at #AnatSocSummer26 She found the lateral sutures have more impact on craniofacial shape compared to medial sutures 💀
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anatsoc.bsky.social @anatsoc.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
This week, we're at a sunny @uobrisanatomy for this years #AnatSocSummer26 meeting. You can follow along here and on all of our usual channels. Looking forward to 3 days of cutting edge MSK and Comparative Anatomy from leaders in the field. Registration from 10:00!
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Richard Butler @richardjbutler.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
23 month research associate job now available with our team to work on Middle Jurassic mammals from Scotland. Requires strong experience with segmentation of CT data but does not require a PhD. Deadline for applications is 26th July. edzz.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
edzz.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com
Research Associate (Leverhulme) - School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences - 105138 - Grade 6
This is a Research Associate position to assist in palaeobiological research conducted as part of the project “New Insights Into Early Mammal Evolution From Exceptional Scottish Fossils” funded by the...
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Miguel Díaz de León @migueldlm.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Through geometric morphometrics and R-based modeling, this tool enables the adjustment of morphospace parameters to simulate shape transitions. Working in progess
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European XROMM Network @europexn.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
John Nyakatura from Humboldt University, Berlin, will talk about XROMM and its markerless variant, Scientific Rotoscoping, and how these techniques provide powerful means to visualize and quantify shoulder mechanics during locomotion. EXN Workshop #SEBConference @sebiology.bsky.social
The images depicts a flyer on a white background with a yellow border and the pink and white SEB logo at the top. The text reads "July 9 EXN Workshop" at the top and then states that the time of the workshop is from 9 to 10:30 AM in room Modulo 1. There is then a box with the title of the talk in it. The title reads "Blender XROMM Toolkit". There is then a text block in black that reads "Using Scientific Rotoscoping to Characterize Shoulder Function in Sprawling and Erect Quadrupedal Locomotion". The text under the blue words is in a blue box says the speaker's name: John Nyakatura. There are four logos on the bottom of the flyer. From left to right, these are The British Council, The Springboard Programme for UK-France partnerships, HFSP (Human Frontier Science Programme), and The Company of Biolgists.
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Mehran Moazen @mmoazen.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
If you are passionate about #skulls and #craniosynostosis then join us for 4th Advanced in Craniosynostosis on 28th Aug 2026 @uclengineering.bsky.social Please reserve your ticket at: tiny.cc/AdCR4 @uclengineering.bsky.social @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social @karenjliu.bsky.social @Steve Twigg @Headlines
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UCL Centre for Integrative Anatomy @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
We're hiring. We’re excited to be recruiting for a Lecturer / Associate Professor in Primate or Human Evolutionary Anatomy to join the Centre for Integrative Anatomy at UCL. 📅Closing date: 20 July 2026 Apply here: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DRZ412/l...
jobs.ac.uk
Lecturer / Associate Professor in Primate or Human Evolutionary Anatomy at UCL
Apply for the Lecturer / Associate Professor in Primate or Human Evolutionary Anatomy role on jobs.ac.uk, the top job board for academic positions in higher education. View details and apply now.
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drphilcox.bsky.social @drphilcox.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
JOB ALERT! We are recruiting at @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social - a lecturer (Grade 8) or associate professor (Grade 9) in primate or human evolutionary anatomy (research and teaching). Contact Susan Evans or myself for further details. www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DRZ412/l...
jobs.ac.uk
Lecturer / Associate Professor in Primate or Human Evolutionary Anatomy at UCL
Searching for an academic job? Explore this Lecturer / Associate Professor in Primate or Human Evolutionary Anatomy opening on jobs.ac.uk! Click to view more details and browse other academic jobs.
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Alana Sharp @acsharp.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Please share! It’s a quick turn-around for this PhD opportunity accepting applications until 29 June! Join an amazing lab in an amazing city…
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Alana Sharp @acsharp.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
📣 We have a new FUNDED PhD opportunity on ageing of the human heelpad: tissue properties and gait biomechanics. 📍Location: @livevobiomech.bsky.social 👩‍💻The team: @krisda.bsky.social @drrostireadioff.bsky.social and me! 🔗 Apply: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
findaphd.com
Ageing of the human heelpad: tissue properties and gait biomechanics at University of Liverpool on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Ageing of the human heelpad: tissue properties and gait biomechanics at University of Liverpool, listed on FindAPhD.com
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Liverpool EMB lab @livevobiomech.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Muscles don’t just move you - sometimes they slam the brakes 🛑💪 New paper: starting length + temperature strongly reshape the biphasic force response during eccentric contractions
doi.org
Starting length and temperature dependence of eccentric muscle force–velocity behaviour
Summary: Eccentric muscle force development is highly sensitive to starting length and temperature, revealing distinct effects on contractile and elastic components and providing a framework for more ...
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Alana Sharp @acsharp.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
This month a UoL Biosciences student is working with me on primate jaw muscle anatomy. Today we MRI scanned and dissected a lion-tailed macaque! I'm still always blown away by how BEAUTIFUL muscles are 🐒 #anatomy
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Ryan N. Felice @rnf.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Hey look: A job! @echinerd.bsky.social and I are looking for a research technician to work on sea urchin development. If you are good at segmenting CT scans and want a chance to work on some super cool organisms, this job here at UCL is for you! apply now: bit.ly/4o2qccY
CT scan of a juvenile sea urchin
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Alana Sharp @acsharp.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
This week @apwoodbailey.bsky.social @lucyhholmes.bsky.social and I went to Knowsley Safari Park to see some of the amazing animals we’ll be studying during our @leverhulme.ac.uk Building Giants project 😄🦏🦌🦒
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Jens-Christian Svenning @jcsvenning.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
🌿 We are hiring a new 2-yr postdoc in @econovoau.bsky.social at @aarhusuniint.bsky.social, on large-#herbivore ecology, trophic #rewilding & novel ecosystems- asking when alien & feral #ungulates enhance biodiversity & when they contribute to degradation🐪🐎🦓 Deadline: 28 June 2026. Details below 👇
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Selina Brace @selinabrace.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Looking for a postdoc to join my group at the NHM London & work on aDNA of dogs/wolves! jobs.nhm.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
jobs.nhm.ac.uk
Postdoctoral Researcher ancient DNA:South Kensington
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Alana Sharp @acsharp.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Beautiful day walking out to Hilbre Island - geology and wildlife 🦭
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drphilcox.bsky.social @drphilcox.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
How to make a giant - an article about our newly-funded project in the @leverhulme.ac.uk media collection: media.leverhulme.ac.uk/feature/pcox
media.leverhulme.ac.uk
How to make a giant: the evolution of increased body size on islands
Using a cross-disciplinary suite of methods to study a broad range of fossil giants alongside their living, non-giant relatives, Philip Cox and his team aim to determine if a rule governs how and why ...
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Alana Sharp @acsharp.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Had a great time at @pintofscience.uk this week with @krisda.bsky.social @livevobiomech.bsky.social talking about why our feet are amazing!
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ISVM @isvmorph.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
📢 ICVM2027 Call for Proposals! ICVM2027 (Halifax, Canada; 20–24 July 2027) is now accepting: 🔹 Symposium proposals www.xcdsystem.com/icvm/abstrac... 🔹 Workshop proposals www.xcdsystem.com/icvm/abstrac... 📅 Deadline: 30 June 2026
xcdsystem.com
ICVM 2027 Symposium Submission
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ISVM @isvmorph.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
🍁ICVM2027 Logo Competition🍁 We are excited to launch the logo competition for ICVM2027, 20–24 July 2027, in Halifax, Canada. Members of the ICVM community are invited to submit logo designs inspired by vertebrate morphology and the spirit of Atlantic Canada. 🖌️ Details: www.isvm-icvm.org/icvm-2027
isvm-icvm.org
ICVM-2027 | ISVM
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Armita R. Manafzadeh @armanafzadeh.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Our work on mammalian hallucal grasping, led by Irene Montañez-Rivera during her time in the @johnnyakatura.bsky.social group, is out now in iScience. A true team effort; thanks to the whole crew for inviting me to contribute a small piece! www.cell.com/iscience/ful...
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Alana Sharp @acsharp.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Biggest happy 100th birthday to Sir David Attenborough! Early documentaries shaped my love for nature, scientific curiosity, and travel. This photo from over 10 years ago was a moment I'll never forget - meeting a hero!
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The Anatomical Record @anatrecord.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
New study on Tasmanian devil & other dasyurids reveals how forelimb muscle structure relates to behavior. Dissections & CT showed largely conserved musculature. Differences hint at specialization in prey processing & arboreal movement Bidaye et al: anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
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Jamie Whitehouse @jamiewhitehouse.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
🐒 PhD Opportunity 🐒 I'm excited to announce that we are now welcoming applications for a 3-year fully funded PhD position at Nottingham Trent University as part of our @leverhulme.ac.uk funded project. More info: jamiewhitehouse.github.io/mappingconne... Apply here: tinyurl.com/PhDNTU
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Alana Sharp @acsharp.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
📣New page! Follow @isvmorph.bsky.social for all your International Society of Vertebrate Morphology news including updates about the 2027 ICVM in Halifax, NS! #morphology #anatomy #evolution #biomechanics #vertebrates
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European Commission @ec.europa.eu · 09/04/2026
Big opportunities for researchers 🌍 We are investing nearly €400 million to help researchers share their work and collaborate with the best scientific teams across the EU. The 2026 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships are now open. More: link.europa.eu/PNxpxw
Graphic announcing the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026 call. It shows the opening date (9 April 2026), closing date (9 September 2026), and a budget of €399.05 million. The design features scientific visuals such as cells, a leaf, and lab elements on a dark background, with the European Commission logo at the bottom.
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John Nyakatura @johnnyakatura.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
2 PhD Opportunities! 🤩 We are recruiting two highly motivated PhD students to join an ambitious project advancing Robotic Paleontology—a rapidly emerging field that fuses paleontology, biomechanics, simulation, and robotics. nyakaturalab.com/news/ Please share!!
nyakaturalab.com
Nyakatura-Lab for Comparative Zoology | News
See what’s been happening in the Nyakatura Lab. News: discover our latest publications, recent events, and research highlights.
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Alana Sharp @acsharp.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
📣 postdocs! If you are considering a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) fellowship and looking for a host, do get in touch if you're interested in #biomechanics #skulls #muscles #morphometrics #FEA 📍 @livevobiomech.bsky.social 🔗 marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/post...
marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu
Postdoctoral Fellowships
The information provided on this page is a summary of the main rules and requirements for Postdoctoral Fellowships (PFs) and who can apply for them.
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Charlotte Brassey @cbrassey.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
Our PhD opportunity is still open. A match-funded project with @chesterzoo.bsky.social, where the student will also be a Conservation Scholar. An exciting interdisciplinary project that can be tailored to the student. Even the pigeons are interested in our LiDAR scanner!
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Tori Herridge @toriherridge.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
The implications for which species/traits are considered desirable in rewilding discussions is fascinating here (not to mention the synthetic biology angle…)
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arielcamp.bsky.social @arielcamp.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Really enjoyed this seminar from @drrostireadioff.bsky.social in our Musculoskeletal Biomechanics MSc @msc-mubm.bsky.social. She's doing such cool work linkingbiology and engineering...left with lots of new ideas! Thanks @acsharp.bsky.social for hosting, and Rosti for letting me share this :)
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Adam van Casteren @adamvanc.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
My post-doc Charlotte King will be starting her own Minerva research group in September and is looking for PhD students. Click here if you are into experimental biomechanics, apes and hominin evolution. www.eva.mpg.de/career/posit...
eva.mpg.de
Positions available - Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
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Andy Radford @andyradford.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
🚨JOB alert🚨 We have three (yes, THREE) 🌟lectureships🌟 advertised in the School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol. Broad remit, including #AnimalBehaviour & #GlobalChangeBiology ⏱️Deadline: 8th March 2026 🙏Please circulate widely 😊Come join us! Full #job details: tinyurl.com/y3us95rc
bristol.ac.uk
Details | Working at Bristol | University of Bristol
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Liverpool EMB lab @livevobiomech.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
What drives impaired exercise tolerance in type 2 diabetes? James Charles and Roger Kissane use experimental and musculoskeletal modelling data to show that diabetes changes tendon mechanics in a way that makes locomotion more expensive 🦴🐁💪📉 physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/...
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Liverpool EMB lab @livevobiomech.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
📑‼️ New commentary out today from Roger on the importance of experimental design and best practice for muscle mechanics experiments!
link.springer.com
Assessing muscle morphology and mechanics: one protocol does not fit all - Journal of Muscle Research and Cell Motility
Journal of Muscle Research and Cell Motility -
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Konow lab at UMass Lowell @konowlab.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
We are hiring a POSTDOC on an NIH award to measure inertial effects of (in)active muscle. Please share and re-post widely! Please send expressions of interest to my UML email.
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Liverpool EMB lab @livevobiomech.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
If you're not enticed by this title I don't know what to tell you... New blog up from PhD student Betzy @betzymanners.bsky.social about her participation in a recent outreach event at @ntlmuseumsscot.bsky.social !
embliverpool.wordpress.com
Primates, Passion and Power Points: What I Learnt Talking about Monkey Sex
By Betzy Manners Figure 1 An attentive family of Emperor tamarins. In November, National Museums Scotland displayed an exhibition focusing on ‘Our Primate Family.’ Featuring new taxidermy of more t…
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Alana Sharp @acsharp.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
📣 The Newton International Fellowship programme by the Royal Society opens on 15th January! 📍If you're an early career researcher interested in collaborating and moving to Liverpool, lets chat! 🔗 www.royalsociety.org/grants/newto...
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Andrew Christopher Knapp @knapprew.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
You wait ages for a paper, and two come along (almost) at once! This is the first publication from the project we're currently working on, where we're investigating the relationship between different regions of the avian head. 1/n royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article...
royalsocietypublishing.org
Avian cranial evolution is influenced by shape interactions between hard and soft tissue traits
Abstract. Changes in the structure and relative size of the brain are thought to be key transformations in the evolution of birds, reflecting innovations a
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Alana Sharp @acsharp.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
📣ONE WEEK left to apply for this PhD on the #biomechanics of mandibular implants, working with clinicians and engineers to improve patient outcomes. 📍 @livuni-ilcams.bsky.social @livevobiomech.bsky.social in Liverpool, UK 🥼 @clairebrockett.bsky.social @ukshaq.bsky.social and me!
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Alana Sharp @acsharp.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
Anyone interested in applying for PhDs at #2025SVP, email or find me or @tguillerme.bsky.social for a chat if you’re interested in morphological trait evolution with a conservation theme: 🔗 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
findaphd.com
ACCE+ DLA Programme: Morphological Trait Evolution in Isolated Populations of Large Mammals and its Implications for Rewilding in the UK at University of Liverpool on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - ACCE+ DLA Programme: Morphological Trait Evolution in Isolated Populations of Large Mammals and its Implications for Rewilding in the UK at University of Liverpool, listed on FindAPhD.co...
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Alana Sharp @acsharp.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Interested in implants and dental rehabilitation? I have a fully funded PhD available on modelling mandibular implants after oral cancer. Apply now or email me 🙂 🔗 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
findaphd.com
MRC DiMeN Doctoral Training Partnership: Improving success of mandibular reconstruction after oral cancer: novel finite element methods for better patient outcomes at University of Liverpool on FindAP...
PhD Project - MRC DiMeN Doctoral Training Partnership: Improving success of mandibular reconstruction after oral cancer: novel finite element methods for better patient outcomes at University of Liver...
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