Daniel O. Schmitt, Professor

My primary interest is in the evolution of primate locomotion. I am studying the mechanics of movement in primates and other vertebrates in the laboratory to understand the relationship between movement and postcranial morphology, and the unique nature of primates among mammals. Current projects include the origins of primate locomotion and the evolution of vertebrate bipedalism.

Contact Info:

Office Location:	203 Biological Sciences Buildi, 130 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708
Email Address:
Web Pages:	http://evolutionaryanthropology.duke.edu/people?Gurl=%2Faas%2FBAA&Uil=daniel.schmitt&subpage=profile http://evolutionaryanthropology.duke.edu/research/animal-locomotion-lab

Teaching (Spring 2023):

• EVANTH 537S.01, ORTHOPEDIC BIOMECH/KINESIOLOGY Synopsis

  Bio Sci 041, TuTh 10:15 AM-11:30 AM

Education:

Ph.D.	State University of New York, Stony Brook	1995
MS	State University of New York at Stony Brook	1995
BS	Yale University	1987

Specialties:

Functional Anatomy
Primate Paleontology & Morphology

Research Interests:

Current projects: Primate locomotor mechanics, Evolution of primate locomotion, Rodent and humn models of bone and joint disease

My primary interest is in the evolution of primate locomotion. I am interested in understanding the selective factors that govern limb design, gait choice, and locomotor mechanics. I am studying the mechanics of movement in primates and other vertebrates in the laboratory to understand the relationship between movement and postcranial morphology, and the unique nature of primates among other mammals. Current projects include the origins of locomotion and the evolution of vertebrate bipedalism. My other interests are in human musculosketal health and injury. I study rodent and human models of bone and joint disease. Click here to enter the Animal Locomotion Laboratory web site to learn more.

Areas of Interest:

Functional Anatomy
Biomechanics
Orthopedics

Keywords:

Activities of Daily Living • Adaptation, Physiological • Adaptation, Psychological • Adult • African Continental Ancestry Group • Age Factors • Aged • Aged, 80 and over • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor • Animals • Animals, Newborn • Anthropology, Physical • Anthropometry • Anxiety • Arthralgia • Behavior • Behavior, Animal • Biological Evolution • Biomechanics • Bone Density • Comorbidity • Disability Evaluation • Disabled Persons • Disease Models, Animal • Educational Status • Electromyography • Electrophysiology • Employment • Energy Metabolism • European Continental Ancestry Group • Evolution • Fear • Feeding Behavior • Female • Forearm • Fossils • Gait • Gait Disorders, Neurologic • Harmaline • Hominidae • Humans • Hyperalgesia • Imaging, Three-Dimensional • Joint Instability • Knee Joint • Life Style • Locomotion • Lumbosacral Region • Male • Mice • Mice, Inbred C57BL • Mice, Transgenic • Middle Aged • Mobility Limitation • Models, Biological • Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors • Motor Activity • Muscle, Skeletal • Mutation • Neurodegenerative Diseases • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II • North Carolina • Obesity • Orbit • Orthopedics • Osteoarthritis • Osteoarthritis, Knee • Overweight • Pain • Pain Measurement • Postural Balance • Posture • Prevalence • Primates • Prognosis • Radiculopathy • Range of Motion, Articular • Rats • Rats, Inbred Lew • Rats, Sprague-Dawley • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II • Reference Values • Regression Analysis • Risk Assessment • Risk Factors • Self Concept • Self Disclosure • Self Efficacy • Severity of Illness Index • Sex Distribution • Skull • Species Specificity • Time Factors • Tooth • Tremor • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha • Walking • Weight Reduction Programs • Weight-Bearing • Young Adult

Curriculum Vitae  Bio

Current Ph.D. Students   (Former Students)

• Michael Granatosky  

Postdocs Mentored

• Roxanne Larsen (2012/01-present)  
• Angel Zeininger (2012/01-present)  
• Karyne Rabey (2012/01-present)  
• Jennifer Hotzman (2011 - 2012)  
• Charlottte Miller (2010 - present)  
• Siobhan Cooke (2010 - 2012)  
• Griffin Nicole (2009 - 2011)  
• Sara Doyle (2009 - present)  
• Carrie Carreno (2009 - 2012)  
• Tracy Kivell (2007 - 2009)  
• Kristin Bishop (2006 - 2006)  
• Ann Zumwalt (2005 - 2007)  
• Ershela Sims (2004 - 2010)  
• Tim Griffin (2001 - 2005)  

Recent Publications   (More Publications)   (search)

1. Garrett, SG; Simmons Muckler, VC; Schmitt, DO; Hartwell, EH; Thompson, JA; Falyar, CR, Improving Anesthesia Providers' Needle Cricothyrotomy Success With Ultrasound-Guidance: A Cadave Quality Improvement Project., Aana Journal, vol. 91 no. 1 (February, 2023), pp. 15-21  [abs]
2. Larsen, RJ; Queen, RM; Schmitt, D, Adaptive locomotion: Foot strike pattern and limb mechanical stiffness while running over an obstacle., Journal of Biomechanics, vol. 143 (October, 2022), pp. 111283 [doi]  [abs]
3. Hill, CN; Reed, W; Schmitt, D; Arent, SM; Sands, LP; Queen, RM, Factors contributing to racial differences in gait mechanics differ by sex., Gait & Posture, vol. 95 (June, 2022), pp. 277-283 [doi]  [abs]
4. Grider-Potter, N; Zeininger, A; Schmitt, D; Snyder, M; McGrosky, A, Energetic costs of hindlimb-dominated locomotion in sifakas (Propithecus verreauxi)., Faseb Journal : Official Publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, vol. 36 Suppl 1 (May, 2022) [doi]  [abs]
5. Hill, CN; Schmitt, D; Reed, W; Arent, SM; Sands, LP; Queen, RM, Racial differences in running and landing measures associated with injury risk vary by sex, Sports Biomechanics (January, 2022) [doi]  [abs]

Selected Grant Support

• “Gait Mechanics in primate and Nonprimate quadrupeds”, NSF.      
• “Effects of Myostatin Deficiency on Bone Strength”, NIH.