Curriculum Vitae
Professional Bio
Professional Bio
Areas of Specialization: Biological anthropology; Anatomy; Human Evolution; Functional Morphology; Movement Biomechanics; Primate Locomotion; Musculoskeletal Disease; Motion Analysis; Energetics
Research Activity: My research is focused on the evolution of the human musculoskeletal system with implications for modern health. I study the adaptive functions of structures in the human body that enable us to move in many unique and remarkable ways. I also investigate how the evolutionary history of these structures makes them susceptible to disorder and disease in modern environments. My research involves both laboratory and field-based components. In the lab I use high speed motion analysis equipment to record motion and use techniques like electromyography and respirometry to study neuromuscular function and metabolic energy expenditure, respectively. Current lab projects investigate the adaptive function of the human foot and ankle. I am also currently conducting fieldwork with indigenous Orang Asli groups in Peninsular Malaysia, where I am investigating kinematic strategies for walking in natural environments and their associated energetic costs.
Selected Publications:
- Apolito, ZM, Palmisano KG, Holowka NB. The adaptive function of the human ankle joint complex during walking on uneven terrains with implications for hominin locomotion. Journal of Human Evolution. 203: 103678. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2025.103678
2022 Holowka NB, Kraft TS, Wallace IJ, Gurven M, Venkataraman VV. Forest terrains influence walking kinematics among indigenous Tsimane of the Bolivian Amazon. Evolutionary Human Sciences 4: E19. DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2022.13
2021 Holowka NB, Richards A, Sibson BE, Lieberman DE. The human foot functions like a spring of adjustable stiffness during running. Journal of Experimental Biology 224: 19667. DOI: 1242/jeb.219667
2021 Holowka NB, Wallace IJ, Mathiessen A, Ojiambo Mang’Eni R, Okutoyi P, Worthington S, Lieberman DE. Urbanization and knee cartilage growth among children and adolescents in Western Kenya. ACR Open Rheumatology 2: 11323. DOI 10.1002/acr2.11323
2019 Holowka NB, Wynands B, Drechsel TJ, Yegian AK, Tobolsky VA, Okutoyi P, Ojiambo Mang’eni R, Haile DW, Sigei TK, Zippenfennig C, Milani TL, Lieberman DE. Foot callus thickness does not trade off protection for tactile sensitivity during walking. Nature 571, 261-264. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1345-6
2018 Holowka NB, Lieberman DE. Rethinking the evolution of the human foot: Insights from experimental research. Journal of Experimental Biology. 221, jeb174425. DOI: 10.1242/jeb.174425
2017 Holowka NB, O’Neill MC, Thompson NE, Demes B. Chimpanzee and human midfoot motion during bipedal walking and the evolution of the longitudinal arch of the foot. Journal of Human Evolution 104, 23-31. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2016.12.002