Journal Article
The origins of mammal growth patterns during the Jurassic mammalian radiation
Newham, E., Corfe, I. J., Brewer, P., Bright, J. A., Fernandez, V., Gostling, N. J., Hoffmann, S., Jäger, K. R., Kague, E., Lovric, G., Marone, F., Panciroli, E., Schneider, P., Schultz, J. A., Suhonen, H., Witchell, A., Gill, P. G., & Martin, T. (2024). The origins of mammal growth patterns during the Jurassic mammalian radiation. Science Advances, 10(32), eado4555. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.ado4555
Synthetic analysis of trophic diversity and evolution in Enantiornithes with new insights from Bohaiornithidae
Miller, C. V., Bright, J. A., Wang, X., Zheng, X., & Pittman, M. (2024). Synthetic analysis of trophic diversity and evolution in Enantiornithes with new insights from Bohaiornithidae. eLife, 12, Article RP89871. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.89871
Trophic diversity and evolution in Enantiornithes: a synthesis including new insights from Bohaiornithidae
Miller, C. V., Bright, J. A., Wang, X., Zheng, X., & Pittman, M. (2024). Trophic diversity and evolution in Enantiornithes: a synthesis including new insights from Bohaiornithidae. eLife, 12, Article RP89871. https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.89871.2
Innovation and elaboration on the avian tree of life
Guillerme, T., Bright, J. A., Cooney, C. R., Hughes, E. C., Varley, Z. K., Cooper, N., Beckerman, A. P., & Thomas, G. H. (2023). Innovation and elaboration on the avian tree of life. Science Advances, 9(43), Article eadg1641. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adg1641
Three-dimensional visualization of predatory gastropod feeding teeth with synchrotron scanning
Herbert, G. S., Hill, S. A., Pio, M. J., Carney, R., Carlson, A., Newham, E., & Bright, J. A. (2023). Three-dimensional visualization of predatory gastropod feeding teeth with synchrotron scanning. Journal of morphology, 284(10), Article e21633. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.21633
Research interests
I am broadly interested in the relationship between skeletal form and function throughout evolution, and the extent to which form can be used to predict function (or not…) in the feeding structures of extant and extinct animals. I am also interested in how the skeleton is constrained by non-functional factors, like evolutionary or developmental history. I look at these questions using birds as a study group, but because I’m probably more interested in the overarching themes than I am in the birds themselves (gasp!), I often find myself tinkering around in other animal groups where we could use the same computational methods to investigate a really interesting skeletal structure or evolutionary question. In particular, I use techniques like geometric morphometrics and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to try to understand form and function, respectively. An important aspect of this is ground-truthing finite element models with experimental bone strain and material properties data. For this, I team up with the Department of Engineering to conduct validation studies.
I am currently PI on a BBSRC project alongside Co-I Pete Watson (University of Leeds) and PDRAs Phil Morris and Vaishakh Raju, looking at the evolution of cranial kinesis in birds, and how to model the mechanics of this computationally using FEA and Multibody Dynamics Analysis.
Lead investigator
Project
Funder
Grant
Started
Status
Project
Understanding functional performance in bird skulls: advanced computational modelling to investigate cranial biomechanics and kinesis
Funder
Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Counc
Grant
£438,622.33
Started
1 September 2023
Status
Ongoing
Co-investigator
Project
Funder
Grant
Started
Status
Project
Experiencing human-wildlife conflict management through playful learning
Funder
British Ecological Society
Grant
£3,460.00
Started
1 December 2024
Status
Ongoing
Postgraduate supervision
I work with PhD students interested in bird functional or morphological evolution, and/or finite element validation, and am currently supervising students working on bird cranial kinesis, bone mechanics, and evolution (Amber Wagstaffe, Callum Hill, and Sophie Pollard). I do not currently have projects to advertise, but am always keen to talk to prospective students about ways to work together to get funding for project ideas that they have.