Units

Anthropology and Human Genetics

Person in charge of the Unit : Oui

Biological anthropology is the study of the diversity of actual and ancient human populations. It tackles the variability of mankind through time (human evolution) and space (contemporary human diversity). The research activities of the laboratory include both approaches: I) Study oh human growth, from baby to young adult, as the indicator of the health of a person and/or of a population. The study of the interactions between human development and environmental factors as well as the setting of standards of human development for medical purposes. II) Study of the paleo-ecology of ancient populations: demography, study and trials in diet reconstitution, paleoanthropology and paleopathology studies on skeletons from archaeological diggings,... Besides the main activities, ad hoc studies on various themes also take place.

Projetcs

Growth and medical applications : standards and modelisation.

Biometrical and social surveys on numerous subjects (infants and scholar children) to obtain recent and representative data- Fitting and adaptation of mathematical models. EstabIishment of standards (growth and growth velocity curves) for medical use. Belgium and Ecuador.

Growth, puberty and environmental factors. Secular trend in Belgium.

Analysis of physical delopment (height, weight, muscular index. pubertal age,...) of childIen and adolescents as health indicator on individual level (medical examination) and populational level.  Interactions between growth and environmental parameters (socio-economic. alimentary . familial. psychological,...). Evolution of growth (secular trend) in Belgium since last century.