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Laura Porro

@laurabporro.bsky.social
76 followers 60 following 54 posts

Associate Professor of Anatomy at UCL. Investigating form and function of living and fossil animals. Occasional musings on gardening, food and travel.

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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Very excited that former Bristol student Julia May has published her Master's work on feeding mechanics using finite element modelling in salamanders! Co-authored by @emilyrayfield.bsky.social and myself in Journal of Morphology: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Comparative Morphology and Mechanics of Aquatic and Terrestrial Feeding Salamanders
Jaw muscle size, bite force, and skull strength are driven by multiple factors, not just the difference between the two habitats. Necturus produces higher bite forces than Salamandra, but the stress ...
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UCL Centre for Integrative Anatomy @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
🎉 We at the Centre for Integrative Anatomy were delighted to be part of the recent CDB Away Day on 11 September 2026. 😊 It was a wonderful opportunity for colleagues to come together, share ideas, strengthen connections, and reflect on our goals in a positive and collaborative environment.
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UCL Research Department of Cell & Developmental Biology @ucl-cdb.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
UCL CDB’s Technology Platforms provide researchers with cutting-edge facilities, from advanced microscopy and molecular biology to zebrafish and metabolic research support, helping drive scientific discovery and innovation. www.ucl.ac.uk/life-science...
ucl.ac.uk
Technology Platforms
We host several facilities which support researchers with technical expertise and provide essential services both within the department and across the Division of Biosciences and UCL.
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UCL Research Department of Cell & Developmental Biology @ucl-cdb.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Still reflecting on what a fantastic CDB Away Day it was. Great conversations, plenty of laughs, valuable insights, and a real sense of being part of something bigger. Days like these remind you of the power of collaboration and connection. 👏 @laurabporro.bsky.social
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UCL Research Department of Cell & Developmental Biology @ucl-cdb.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
🎉 A Big Thank You for a Fantastic CDB Away Day! 🎉 We would like to extend a big thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the recent CDB Away Day on Friday 11 September 2026. www.ucl.ac.uk/life-science...
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
For the second year in a row, I organised @ucl-cdb.bsky.social Departmental Away Day with my colleague Sandrine Geranton at UCL East! Thanks to everyone for a lovely day and hope it was fun!
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UCL Centre for Integrative Anatomy @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
🔬🦴 The Centre recently showcased how 3D imaging is transforming collections, research, and access to priceless specimens at the Royal Society exhibition. @laurabporro.bsky.social @leaveylab.bsky.social Read more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/life-science...
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
This is something I am really proud of - earlier this year, I and the @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social team worked hard on several sustainability initiatives for which we have now been awarded LEAF Gold and Green Impact Bronze! www.ucl.ac.uk/life-science... @ucllifesciences.bsky.social
ucl.ac.uk
UCL Centre gains two Sustainability Awards in 2026
Congratulations to the UCL Centre for Integrative Anatomy who have increased their sustainability effort, and just achieved the Gold Award for LEAF and the Bronze Award for Green Impact
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Our @royalsociety.org #SummerScience exhibit was also feature on UCL Student News: uclpimedia.com/online/the-s...
uclpimedia.com
The Science of Life: Pi Attends the Royal Society’s Summer Science Exhibition 2026 — Pi Media
Tucked into a glass case at the Royal Society’s ‘Immortalising Natural History in 3D’ stand is a series of 3D-printed animal skeletons: some coloured and marked, others bare and white. Dr. Alice Leave...
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Lookie whose research is on the cover of the latest issue of The Anatomical Record! Our chameleon head digital dissection by @leaveylab.bsky.social @eloygl.bsky.social and myself!
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Some great models in our virtual museum!
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
And both @leaveylab.bsky.social and myself were interviewed by @, now available on BBC Sounds: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
bbc.co.uk
BBC Inside Science - How do you immortalise natural history? - BBC Sounds
The latest cutting-edge research on show at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition.
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Some more photos from our 2026 @royalsociety.org #SummerScience exhibition!
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
A great photo of part of the team on setup day of the @royalsociety.org #SummerScience exhibition!
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Here are all of our lovely sponsors again!
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Finally, many thanks to @unisouthampton.bsky.social for providing support for travel and accommodation for our ECRs for the event (7/7)
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
And a big thank you to @paleosoc.bsky.social for their generous sponsorship! (6/7)
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
A big shout out to the @anatsoc.bsky.social for their support for our 3D printouts! (5/7)
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Artec 3D - whose scanners we use extensively in our research and at our exhibit - provided generous support!
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
The @thepalass.bsky.social supported our augmented reality experience, produced by Datascape Realities (3/7)
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
We thank the @palaeontosoc.bsky.social for contributions to 3D printouts! (2/7)
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
We received a lot of support for our @royalsociety.org #SummerScience exhibit without which none of this would have been possible. So time to recognise our sponsors! First, many thanks to @ucllifesciences.bsky.social and @ucllccos.bsky.social for their very generous support! (1/7)
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
A cool new paper by @jdpardo.bsky.social and colleagues showing evidence of direct development of early tetrapods from the amazing Mazon Creek locality. I was fortunate to get a sneak peek at this for a commentary in @sciencenews.bsky.social : www.sciencenews.org/article/assu...
sciencenews.org
A textbook assumption about early land vertebrates may be wrong
Three species that lived about 308 million years ago challenge the idea that the first land vertebrates underwent amphibian-like metamorphosis.
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
In other public engagement news, our exhibit representing @ucllifesciences.bsky.social in the UCL200 launch back in February was recently featured by @uclengage.bsky.social as one of their Stories of Engagement: blogs.ucl.ac.uk/public-engag...
blogs.ucl.ac.uk
Stories of Engagement – Laura Porro | UCL UCL Public Engagement Blog
UCL Homepage
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
A long and fun day of setting up our @royalsociety.org #SummerScience exhibit with @leaveylab.bsky.social @tannisdavidson.bsky.social and many other from @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social and @unisouthampton.bsky.social. Opening tomorrow!
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Just a normal day at work with @tannisdavidson.bsky.social and the team from @uclgrantmuseum.bsky.social getting thigns for our @royalsociety.org #SummerScience exihibition to the Royal Society...
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Our exhibit has been featured in @uclnews.bsky.social : www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ju...
ucl.ac.uk
From nanomaterials to alligator jaws: two UCL displays featured at Royal Society exhibition
Two UCL-led exhibits featuring dinosaur skulls, chameleon heads, and tiny materials transforming healthcare are among 13 flagship displays open to the public at the 2026 Royal Society Summer Science E...
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Just one more day until our @royalsociety.org #SummerScience Exhibit opens!
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
And follow links to book advance tickets here: royalsociety.org/news/2026/05...
royalsociety.org
Six weeks to go until the Royal Society’s Summer Science Exhibition 2026 | Royal Society
The full line up of talks, hands-on activities and screenings has been announced for the Royal Society’s Summer Science Exhibition, an annual celebration of cutting-edge science from across the UK.
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Learn more about our exhibit here: Learn more: www.ucl.ac.uk/life-science...
ucl.ac.uk
Immortalising natural history in 3D
Explore hidden life in 3D. Discover how cutting-edge scanning creates digital twins of museum specimens, unlocking new science, wider access, and a future-proof record of Earth’s biodiversity.
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Our exhibit "Immortalising Natural History in 3D" will be one of of the flagship exhibits at the @royalsociety.org #SummerScience Exhibition from June 30th - July 5th! @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social @ucl.ac.uk @ucllifesciences.bsky.social with @leaveylab.bsky.social @unisouthampton.bsky.social
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Now some really exciting news - together with @leaveylab.bsky.social at @unisouthampton.bsky.social myself representing @ucl.ac.uk will be co-leading one of the 13 flagship exhibits for @royalsociety.org #SummerScience Exhibition! @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social @ucllifesciences.bsky.social
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UCL Faculty of Life Sciences @ucllifesciences.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Lots of activities to see and people to ask your burning questions. Join us at our #FLSSciFair.
Chameleons made out of pipe cleaners HoneycombA volunteer with a T-shirt that reads Where curiosity meets discovery
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UCL Faculty of Life Sciences @ucllifesciences.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Delighted to welcome people to #FLSsciFair today! Hope to see you soon!
Letters on a table saying Build a proteinA wasps nest made out of paperA model of a brainA toy chameleon sitting on a computer monitor
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
The @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social had a great day at the #FLSsciFair @ucllifesciences.bsky.social with over 500 visitors growing their own chameleons, both virtually and with crafting materials! More photos on the way!
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
So that's a round up of what's happened. Now looking ahead - the @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social will be participating in the @ucllifesciences.bsky.social Science Fair taking place TOMORROW (June 13th) at UCL! Please come and find us! www.ucl.ac.uk/life-science...
ucl.ac.uk
Faculty of Life Sciences Science Fair
A public-facing celebration of Faculty research, with family-friendly talks and activities.
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UCL Faculty of Life Sciences @ucllifesciences.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
Book your ticket for our Science Fair on 13 June. There will be hands‑on science, demos and short talks. We look forward to meeting you! Register: www.eventbrite.com/e/science-fair-w… #UCLScienceFair #LifeSciences #STEM
eventbrite.com
SCIENCE FAIR - where curiosity meets discovery
A free, family-friendly public event celebrating the science that shapes our lives.
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
In March 2026, former PhD student Cassius Morrison published our study on theropod tooth microwear in @anatrecord.bsky.social, see here: anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Inter‐ and intraspecific variation in theropod dinosaur dental microwear and its palaeoecological implications
Differences in skull and tooth morphology, stomach contents, and estimated bite force between medium-to-large sized (≥100 kg) predatory theropod dinosaurs have long been suspected to correlate with d....
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
And in February 2026, the @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social represented @ucllifesciences.bsky.social at the #UCL200 launch events with 3D printouts, real animal skeletons and even a bio-inspired robotic dog!
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
In January 2026 Antonio Ballell Mayoral joined the @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social to start work on our @leverhulme.ac.uk Research Project on cranial kinesis in lizards - welcome Antonio!
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Continuing the multi-year recap - 2026 got off to a flying start with the Annual @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social, tied into the #UCL200 celebrations, which was generously sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific and @biologists.bsky.social
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
More excellent news came in late 2025 when I heard that my application to renew my Future Leaders Fellowship #ukriflf @ukri.org for an additional three years was successful! Look out for new collaborations, cool data and results, and an upcoming postdoc position!
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
There was some good news on grants in 2025 as well. First, along with Antonio Ballell Mayoral we were thrilled to recieve a @leverhulme.ac.uk Research Project Grant to support a three-year project looking at the evolution of cranial kinesis in lizards based in the @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
I was really pleased to be selected by our medical students as one of the Top Teachers for Year 2 in both 2024 and 2025: www.ucl.ac.uk/medical-scie...
ucl.ac.uk
Top Teacher Awards
Throughout the year, you can nominate teachers who have been particularly helpful or inspiring to you. You can also nominate any administrators who you have found particularly helpful and supportive.
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Dr Stephan Lautenschlager @palaeostephan.bsky.social · 15/11/2025
#SVP2025 was finally an opportunity to show the excellent reconstructions of Dysalotosaurus created by @dragonsofwales.bsky.social
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Alongside @emilyrayfield.bsky.social and @palaeostephan.bsky.social we organised a symposium at the 85th Annual Meeting of @societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social #SVP2025 in November 2025 on "Multidisciplinary Approaches to Skull Function and Evolution" generously sponsored by the @biologists.bsky.social
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Our lab participated in both the 2024 and 2025 #WorldAnatomyDay #WAD2025 @uclgrantmuseum.bsky.social
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UCL Centre for Integrative Anatomy @ucl-c4ia.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
Was this the FLUFFIEST #dinosaur!? 🦖 🦕 #palaeontology youtube.com/shorts/DQsji.... This summer, our Laura Porro was interviewed by TV presenter Maddie Moate, resulting in fun, educational videos on #reptile teeth, dinosaur #diets & animal #brains!” @ucllifesciences.bsky.social @ucl-cdb.bsky.social
youtube.com
Was this the FLUFFIEST dinosaur!? 🦖 🦕 #dinosaur #paleontology
YouTube video by Maddie Moate
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Laura Porro @laurabporro.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
It's been a BUSY year for outreach. This was really fun - filming short segments with Maddie Moate on reptile anatomy, dinosaurs and brains! www.ucl.ac.uk/life-science...
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