Department of Human Evolution
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Deutscher Platz 6
04103 Leipzig
phone: +49 (341) 3550 - 350
fax: +49 (0341) 3550 - 399
e-mail: streiber@[>>> Please remove the brackets! <<<]eva.mpg.de
Alexandra Schuh

Doctoral Student
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Department of Human Evolution
Deutscher Platz 6
04103 Leipzig
Germany
phone: 0049 (0) 341 3550 364
e-mail: alexandra_schuh@[>>> Please remove the brackets! <<<]eva.mpg.de
Research Interests
I am a PhD student in the IMPRS program at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in the Department of Human Evolution.
I am broadly interested in the evolution and origins of modern humans. For my master’s thesis project at the University of Bordeaux, I worked on the virtual reconstruction of a new specimen from the Qafzeh site (Israel, 90-100 ka; mandible Qafzeh 25), which provided new data on the morphological variability from the Middle Palaeolithic in the Levant.
For my PhD project, I focus on facial ontogeny to try to understand how large-scale changes in facial growth and development are linked with specific patterns at the microstructural levels. For this purpose, I am using methods in 3D imaging (CT scans and semilandmarks techniques) to analyse differences in shape, and surface histology (confocal microscopy) to observe the cellular activity at the surface of the bone, a process called bone modelling. The first step in this project is to work on a large ontogenetic sample to have a better understanding of the variability within the species Homo sapiens in terms of bone modelling patterns, in order to apply these findings to the fossil record. A second step is the quantification of these processes, to help us understand how they are changing through time.
As it is already known that bone modelling patterns are species specific, the study of cellular activity through ontogeny is of particular interest in terms of phylogeny. Indeed, by combining these two approaches we can better differentiate morphological features that develop homologously between taxa from those that may look similar, but result from different ontogenetic processes.
I also have experience in field work, mostly excavating in cave environments.
Curriculum Vitae
Current Position
May 2016 | PhD candidate in Palaeoanthropology Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig Project title: "Valuating bone growth with the use of geometric morphometrics and bone modelling" Supervisors: Sarah Freidline, Kornelius Kupczik, Jean-Jacques Hublin |
University Education
2012-2014 | Master degree in biological Anthropology and Prehistory speciality: biological Anthropology University of Bordeaux, France Master thesis: The use of three dimensional imaging methods for the virtual reconstruction of the Qafzeh's 25 mandible (unpublished fossil, Middle Palaeolithic, Israel). Directors: Tillier A.-m., Coqueugniot H., Dutailly B. |
2009-2012 | Bachelor in Biology 3rd year speciality: Cellular Biology and Physiology University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada 1st and 2nd year speciality: cellular biology and physiology University of Strasbourg, France |
Complementary Trainings
March 2016 | Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France Formation in primatology Supervisors: Sabrina Krief, Audrey Maille |
April 2015 | National Museum of Natural history, Paris, France Morphometry and forms analysis. Supervisor: M. Baylac |
Mars-April 2013 | National Museum of Natural history, Paris, France QP 29: Analysis methods in Palaeoanthropology. Supervisors: A. Balzeau, F. Détroit, M. Friess |
Skills
- Human osteology (anatomy, determination of sex and age methods)
- 3D imagings
- geometric morphometric techniques
- virtual reconstruction
Softwares
- Avizo (VSG)
- TIVMI
- 3DS Max
- Morphologica
- Landmark Ed.
- MorphoJ
- Statistica
Tools
- MicroScribe
- NextEngine
- confocal and reflected light microscopy
Languages
- French (native language)
- English
- German (basic notions)
Internships
May 2015 | Max Planck Institute, Leipzig, Germany Bone remodeling of the facial skeleton in mice. Director: S. Freidline |
July 2013 | LCHES, Cambridge, England,United Kingdom The use of geometrics morphometrics in Human evolution. Directors: A. Mounier, M. Lahr |
2012-15 | National Museum of Natural history, Paris, France Study of the internal ear of the La Chapelle-aux-Saints man. Director: A. Balzeau |
December 2013 | PACEA, Bordeaux, France Sorting of the crematory areas of Urville-Nacqueville. Directors: S. Rottier, J. Loyer |
Professional Experience
July-August 2015 | Niaux cave, Niaux, France Guide at the prehistoric cave of Niaux. Directors: E. Demoulin, J. Azéma |
Field Work Experience
June 2015 | Grotte de Sirogne, Rocamadour, France. Middle Palaeolithic. Director: P. Bayle |
July 2014 | La Colline du Château, Nice, France. Middle Age. Director: A. Civetta |
June 2013 | La Caune de l'Arago, Tautavel, France. Amelestoy, Pyrénées Atlantiques, France. |
Publications
Articles
Schuh, A., Gunz, P., Villa, C., Kupczik, K., Hublin, J.-J., & Freidline, S. E. (2020). Intraspecific variability in human maxillary bone modeling patterns during ontogeny. American Journal of Physical Anthropology,137, 655-670. ![]() | |
Schuh, A., Kupczik, K., Gunz, P., Hublin, J.-J., & Freidline, S. E. (2019). Ontogeny of the human maxilla: A study of intra-population variability combining surface bone histology and geometric morphometrics. Journal of Anatomy,235(2), 233-245. DOI BibTeX Endnote | |
Schuh, A., Dutailly, B., Coutinho Nogueira, D., Santos, F., Arensburg, B., Vandermeersch, B., Coqueugniot, H., & Tillier, A.-M. (2017). La mandibule de l’adulte Qafzeh 25 (Paléolithique moyen, Basse Galilée). Reconstruction virtuelle 3D et analyse morphométrique. Paleorient,43(1), 49-59. BibTeX Endnote |
Posters
Schuh, A., Dutailly, B., Coqueugniot, H., Santos, F., Coutinho Nogueira, D., Arensburg, B., Vandermeersch, B., & Tillier, A.-M. (2016).La mandibule de l’adulte Qafzeh 25 (Paléolithique moyen, Basse Galilée) et sa reconstruction virtuelle 3D. Implications anthropologiques. Poster presented at 1841e journées de la Société d’Anthropologie de Paris, Lyon. BibTeX Endnote |
Meeting Abstracts
Schuh, A., & Freidline-Stimman, S. (2018). Bone modeling patterns in the midface of modern humans during ontogeny: A study of intraspecific variability. American Journal of Physical Anthropology,165(S66), 245-246. DOI BibTeX Endnote | |
Schuh, A., Kupczik, K., & Freidline, S. E. (2017). Ontogeny of the midface in Homo sapiens. In Proceedings of the European Society for the study of Human Evolution (PESHE) (6, pp. 173). ![]() |
Talks
Schuh, A. (2015).L'évolution humaine: de Lucy à Homo sapiens, dernières découvertes et innovations technologiques. Talk presented at Science Festival. Colmar. 2015-09-22 - 2015-09-26. BibTeX Endnote |