Old Bones Lead to New Discoveries
Dr.Megan Brickley knows bones—especially old bones. Her research focus is humanskeletal remains from Old World communities of the past.
AsCanada Research Chair in the Bioarchaeology of Human Disease, Brickley uses herbackground in bioarchaeology to examine bone abnormalities caused by anythingfrom age-related bone loss to vitamin deficiencies.
Brickleyand her research team are building on aspects of bioarchaeology andpaleopathology to develop new, more efficient methods of investigating and interpretingbone diseases, producing important information about the experiences ofindividuals in past communities. Their interdisciplinary research will add along-term time dimension to our understanding of metabolic conditions andtrauma in Europe, and will contribute more detailed knowledge of what life waslike for early European settlers in Canada.
Brickleyis also investigating how the health and nutrition of past populations may havebeen linked to the socio-cultural, economic and environmental conditions theyfaced in their communities. Brickley’s innovative research is helpingbuild an understanding of human health and nutrition in past societies.
Not only will Brickley’s research improve our understanding of past people andtheir lives, but it also has great potential to contribute to our understandingof current health problems, including the possible causes and extents ofconditions such as vitamin D deficiency, osteoporosis, diabetes andcardiovascular disease.
also has great potential to contribute to our understanding of current health problems, including the possible causes and extents of conditions such as vitamin D deficiency and diabetes.