Faculty of Life Sciences Alumni Lecture: Past Lives
Dr Laura Porro, UCL Department of Cell & Developmental Biology and Centre for Integrative Anatomy, will give the Winter Faculty of Life Sciences Alumni lecture. The lecture will be followed by a drinks reception.
Faculty of Life Sciences Alumni Lecture: Past Lives
29 Feb 2024, 18:00 – 20:00
UCL Life Sciences alumni are invited to hear Dr Laura Porro, UCL Department of Cell & Developmental Biology and Centre for Integrative Anatomy, talk about her work applying cutting-edge technology to reconstruct skull shapes, and shed light on the lifestyles of extinct animals.
Laura is an evolutionary biomechanist investigating how the different forces have shaped the vertebrate skeleton over hundreds of million years. Using interdisciplinary methods, including high-resolution 3D imaging, experiments, and computer modelling, she is exploring how a diverse range of vertebrate skulls, both living and fossilised, are adapted for different environments, behaviours and diets.
Laura will detail her recent work exploring the evolution of skull form and function across two major evolutionary transitions: the conquest of the land by vertebrates nearly 400 million years ago and the rise of early dinosaurs to dominate life on land.
- Lecture followed by Q&A at 6:15 to 7 pm in JZ Young Lecture Theatre
- Drinks reception: 7 to 8 pm in the Haldane Hub
Associate Professor Cell & Developmental Biology at UCL
Dr Laura Porro is a lecturer for the UCL Medical School and teaches on additional courses within the Faculty of Life Sciences and Biomedical Sciences. Her research explores the link between animal form, function and large-scale evolutionary events, such as environmental changes, mass extinctions, and adaptive radiations.
Further information
Ticketing
Pre-booking essential
Cost
Free
Open to
UCL staff
Availability
Yes