Gary T. Schwartz
Associate Professor
Ph.D., Biological Anthropology, Washington University
SHESC Themes: Human Origins, Evolution and Diversity
Field Specializations: Anatomy and Morphology, Dental Anthropology, Human Growth and Development, Paleoanthropology, Physical Anthropology
Regional Focus:
Contact: Gary Schwartz, SHESC 361
Research:
Gary Schwartz is interested in the evolutionary history of primate and human growth and development as evidenced from developing tooth tissues. Teeth grow in an incremental manner, like trees and shells, preserving a record of their growth in the form of daily lines. The rate at which teeth grow is very closely linked to all kinds of important biological variables such as brain size, gestation length, longevity, etc. Recently, Professor Schwartz has been studying how using information on the time and timing of dental development can help us understand the evolutionary history of the extended growth period so unique to modern humans. Current work using the incremental structures in teeth is also addressing fundamental questions related to the developmental bases of canine sexual dimorphism during primate evolution and the role dental development plays in life history evolution.
His work bridges the gap between comparative anatomy/morphology and evolutionary developmental biology. In conjunction with new discoveries in genetics and developmental biology, the type of information produced in his lab provides an exciting way of exploring the mechanisms that underlie morphological change during evolution. The techniques routinely used in his lab involve the preparation of histological thin sections of modern and fossil teeth for transmitted and polarized light microscopy. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy and computed tomography are used to examine non-invasively the internal structures of fossil teeth.
In addition to labwork, Professor Schwartz goes to the field to collect original fossil hominid material.
Select Publications:
Godfrey, L. R., Jungers, W. L., Schwartz, G. T. & Irwin, M. T. (2008). Ghosts and orphans: Madagascar's vanishing ecosystems. In J. G. Fleagle & C. C. Gilbert (Ed.), Elwyn Simons: A search for origins.New York: Springer.
Ritzman, T. B., Baker, B. J. & Schwartz, G. T. (2008). A fine line: A preliminary study comparing methods of estimating ages of linear enamel hypoplasia formation. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 135(3), 348-361.
Schwartz, G. T., Godfrey, L. R. & Mahoney, P. (2007). Inferring primate growth, development, and life history from dental microstructure: The case of the extinct giant Malagasy lemur, Megaladapis. In S. E. Bailey & J-J. Hublin (Eds.), Dental Perspectives on Human Evolution: State of the Art Research in Dental Anthropology (pp. 147-162). New York: Springer.
Gebo, D. L. & Schwartz, G. T. (2006). Foot bones from Omo: Implications for hominid evolution. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 129(4), 499-511.
Schwartz, G. T., Reid, D. J., Dean, M. C. & Zihlman, A. L. (2006). A faithful record of stressful life events recorded in the dental developmental record of a juvenile gorilla. International Journal of Primatology, 27(4), 1201-1219.
Schwartz, G. T., Miller, E. R. & Gunnell, G. F. (2005). Developmental processes, life history and canine dimorphism in primate evolution. Journal of Human Evolution, 48(1), 97-103. (Download PDF)
Schwartz, G. T., Jungers, W. L., Samonds, K. E., Godfrey, L. R. & Simons, E. L. (2002). Dental microstructure and life history in subfossil Malagasy lemurs. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 99(9), 6124-6129. (Download PDF)
Dean, M. C., Leakey, M.G., Reid, D., Schrenk, F., Schwartz, G. T., Stringer, C. & Walker, A. C. (2001). Growth processes in teeth distinguish modern humans from Homo erectus and earlier hominins. Nature, 414(6864), 628-631.
