Center for Bioarchaeological Research

About

Researchers at the Center for Bioarchaeological Research (CBR) study past peoples through the lens of health and disease; heritage; ethnicity and identity; ritual and ideology; paleodiet; forensic anthropology; and residential mobility. Our state-of the-art facilities for bioarchaeological study allow for gross skeletal and dental observations, histological study, and biochemical and biomolecular research. Our scholarly work currently spans the Americas, Ireland, the circum-Mediterranean region and Africa.

The center’s outreach initiatives involve increasing public awareness of past peoples and applying this information to contemporary problems with deep roots. These include:

  • Developing collaborative research and education initiatives with descendant groups, often in partnership with other institutions, such as the Center for American Archeology (CAA).
  • Residential programming in heritage studies with CAA.
  • Initiative in host-pathogen co-evolution exploring risk factors for infectious disease among contemporary human and non-human primate groups.

We are currently exploring scholarly and educational partnerships across Arizona, as well as in Mexico and Chile. Initiatives will include collaborative research, student exchange programs, co-teaching, museum programming, collections research and the development of Arizona standards for recording burial sites.

A ground-breaking research center

The first of its kind in Arizona, the Center for Bioarchaeological Research was created by Regents' Professor Jane Buikstra – considered the founder of bioarchaeology – in 2005. 

As Founding Director, Buikstra is still a key figure at the center, primarily as the director of its field school in Kampsville, Illinois. In 2014, the leadership transitioned to anthropological geneticist Anne C. Stone and to bioarchaeologist and isotope specialist Kelly J. Knudson in 2017.

Composed of a cadre of esteemed scientists, the center continues to conduct meaningful research into issues of human mobility, identity and health, using the archaeological record and skeletal remains.

Contact

General Inquiries: 
Please contact CBR Director Kelly J. Knudson.

Physical Address:
Center for Bioarchaeological Research
900 S. Cady Mall
Mail Code 2402
School of Human Evolution and Social Change
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 85287-2402