Herman Pontzer, Professor and Director of Graduate Studies

How did the human body evolve, and how does our species' deep past shape our health and physiology today? Through lab and field research, I investigate the physiology of humans and apes to understand how ecology, lifestyle, diet, and evolutionary history affect metabolism and health. I'm also interested in how ecology and evolution influence musculoskeletal design and physical activity. Field projects focus on small-scale societies, including hunter-gatherers and subsistence farmers, in Africa and South America. Lab research focuses on energetics and metabolism, including respirometry and doubly labeled water methods.

Contact Info:

Office Location:
Office Phone:	(919) 684-4124
Email Address:

Education:

Ph.D.

Harvard University

2006

Keywords:

Exercise • Human evolution • Locomotion • Metabolism • Obesity • Public Health

Recent Publications   (More Publications)   (search)

1. Baker, L; Jacobson, H; McGrosky, A; Hinz, E; Wambua, F; Sherwood, A; Mbeng, T-C; Nzunza, R; Braun, DR; Ndiema, E; Pontzer, H; Rosinger, AY, Ambient temperature and wet bulb globe temperature outperform heat index in predicting hydration status and heat perception in a semi-arid environment., Annals of human biology, vol. 52 no. 1 (December, 2025), pp. 2456152 [doi]  [abs]
2. Bajunaid, R; Niu, C; Hambly, C; Liu, Z; Yamada, Y; Aleman-Mateo, H; Anderson, LJ; Arab, L; Baddou, I; Bandini, L; Bedu-Addo, K; Blaak, EE; Bouten, CVC; Brage, S; Buchowski, MS; Butte, NF; Camps, SGJA; Casper, R; Close, GL; Cooper, JA; Cooper, R; Das, SK; Davies, PSW; Dabare, P; Dugas, LR; Eaton, S; Ekelund, U; Entringer, S; Forrester, T; Fudge, BW; Gillingham, M; Goris, AH; Gurven, M; El Hamdouchi, A; Haisma, HH; Hoffman, D; Hoos, MB; Hu, S; Joonas, N; Joosen, AM; Katzmarzyk, P; Kimura, M; Kraus, WE; Kriengsinyos, W; Kuriyan, R; Kushner, RF; Lambert, EV; Lanerolle, P; Larsson, CL; Leonard, WR; Lessan, N; Löf, M; Martin, CK; Matsiko, E; Medin, AC; Morehen, JC; Morton, JP; Must, A; Neuhouser, ML; Nicklas, TA; Nyström, CD; Ojiambo, RM; Pietiläinen, KH; Pitsiladis, YP; Plange-Rhule, J; Plasqui, G; Prentice, RL; Racette, SB; Raichlen, DA; Ravussin, E; Redman, LM; Reilly, JJ; Reynolds, R; Roberts, SB; Samaranayakem, D; Sardinha, LB; Silva, AM; Sjödin, AM; Stamatiou, M; Stice, E; Urlacher, SS; Van Etten, LM; van Mil, EGAH; Wilson, G; Yanovski, JA; Yoshida, T; Zhang, X; Murphy-Alford, AJ; Sinha, S; Loechl, CU; Luke, AH; Pontzer, H; Rood, J; Sagayama, H; Schoeller, DA; Westerterp, KR; Wong, WW; Speakman, JR, Author Correction: Predictive equation derived from 6,497 doubly labelled water measurements enables the detection of erroneous self-reported energy intake., Nat Food, vol. 6 no. 5 (May, 2025), pp. 523-524 [doi]
3. Jesus, F; Costello, NB; Kondo, E; Francisco, R; Nunes, CL; Matu, J; Sardinha, LB; Murphy-Alford, AJ; Luke, AH; Pontzer, H; Rood, J; Sagayama, H; Westerterp, KR; Wong, WW; Yamada, Y; Schoeller, DA; Speakman, JR; Silva, AM, Isotope Dilution for Measuring Total Energy Expenditure, Water Turnover, and Total Body Water in Athletes: A Systematic Review., International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism (May, 2025), pp. 1-20 [doi]  [abs]
4. Pontzer, H, The energetics of movement, from exercise to ecology and evolution., The Journal of experimental biology, vol. 228 no. Suppl_1 (February, 2025), pp. JEB247988 [doi]  [abs]
5. Roba, KT; Jacobson, H; McGrosky, A; Sadhir, S; Ford, LB; Pfaff, M; Kim, EY; Nzunza, R; Douglass, M; Braun, DR; Ndiema, E; Urlacher, SS; Pontzer, H; Rosinger, AY, Chronic Stress and Severe Water Insecurity During the Historic 2022 Drought in Northern Kenya Were Associated With Inflammation Among Daasanach Seminomadic Pastoralists., American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council, vol. 37 no. 2 (February, 2025), pp. e70009, Wiley [doi]  [abs]