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:

Teaching (Fall 2026):

• EVANTH 102CC.01, THE HUMAN SPECIES Synopsis

  Gross Hall 107, TuTh 10:05 AM-11:20 AM

• EVANTH 330.01, HUMAN EVOLUTIONARY PHYSIOLOGY Synopsis

  Bio Sci 111, TuTh 03:05 PM-04:20 PM

• EVANTH 330L.001, HUMAN EVOLUTIONARY PHYSIOLOGY Synopsis

  Bio Sci 111, TuTh 03:05 PM-04:20 PM

Education:

Ph.D.

Harvard University

2006

Keywords:

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

Recent Publications   (More Publications)   (search)

1. Behnke, A; Shaulson, E; Pontzer, H; Kempes, CP; Picard, M, Energy constraint on human health., Trends Endocrinol Metab (April, 2026) [doi]  [abs]
2. Andreadis, CR; Kulahci, IG; Ndung'u, J; Kigen, D; Kimiti, P; Kibe, KM; Laske, NR; Mwadime, J; Wanjala, N; Pontzer, H; Laske, TG; Akinyi, MY; Archie, EA, Using insertable cardiac monitors to test determinants of heart rate and activity in captive baboons., bioRxiv (March, 2026) [doi]  [abs]
3. Pontzer, H; Trexler, ET, The evidence for constrained total energy expenditure in humans and other animals., Current biology : CB, vol. 36 no. 4 (February, 2026), pp. 1013-1025.e4 [doi]  [abs]
4. Bhuiyan, MKBO; Baca, P; Hinz, E; Kiel, E; Kotra, KK; Mattison, P; McGrosky, A; Mercado, D; Pontzer, H; Sena, CMT; Towner, MC; Wander, K; Wallace, IJ; Cully, SM, Reduced Fat Oxidation as a Potential Pathway Linking Early-Life Adversity to Obesity Risk: Evidence From Vanuatu., American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council, vol. 38 no. 1 (January, 2026), pp. e70208, Wiley [doi]  [abs]
5. Cabre, HE; Marlatt, KL; Fernández-Verdejo, R; Beyl, R; Redman, LM; Ainslie, PN; Alemán-Mateo, H; Andersen, LF; Anderson, LJ; Arab, L; Bedu-Addo, K; Bonomi, AG; Bouten, CV; Bovet, P; Brage, S; Buchowski, MS; Butte, NF; Camps, SG; Casper, R; Close, GL; Colbert, LH; Cooper, JA; Cooper, R; Das, SK; Deb, S; Forrester, T; Gillingham, M; Goris, AH; Gurven, M; Hambly, C; Hu, S; Joosen, AM; Katzmarzyk, P; Kempen, KP; Kimura, M; Kraus, WE; Kriengsinyos, W; Kushner, RF; Lessan, N; Löf, M; Martin, CK; Matsiko, E; Medin, AC; Morehen, JC; Morton, JP; Neuhouser, ML; Prentice, RL; Racette, SB; Raichlen, DA; Reynolds, RM; Roberts, SB; Sardinha, LB; Schuit, AJ; Silva, AM; Urlacher, SS; Valencia, ME; Van Etten, LM; Verbunt, JA; Wilson, G; Wood, BM; Yoshida, T; Zhang, X; Murphy-Alford, AJ; Loechl, CU; Luke, AH; Pontzer, H; Rood, J; Sagayama, H; Schoeller, DA; Westerterp, KR; Wong, WW; Yamada, Y; Speakman, JR; Ravussin, E, Sex Differences in Measures of Energy Expenditure and Body Composition in Young, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults., Curr Dev Nutr, vol. 10 no. 1 (January, 2026), pp. 107614 [doi]  [abs]