Kate Robson Brown
Dr Kate Robson Brown
MA, PhD (Cantab)
Senior Lecturer in Biological AnthropologyDepartment of Archaeology and Anthropology |
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Research Interests
• Human evolution, and functional anatomy at the level of microstructure
• Osteoarchaeology, and the African diaspora
• Postcranial morphological variation within modern human populations
• Biomechanics of the spine in humans and other primates
• MicroCT technology and its application to archaeology and anthropology
• The impact of tissue regulation on research and the public display of archaeological human remains in the museums, galleries and university sectors
Public Service
I am currently serving as a Lay representative for the Severn Deanery. This is an NHS appointment. The Deanery delivers medical education to postgraduate doctors in the Severn region, and my responsibilities include chairing interview panels and contributing to education quality assurance panels.
In 2009 was appointed as an Ambassador for Increasing Diversity in Public Appointments. This is an appointment by the Minister of State for Women and Equalities. My responsibilities include speaking at events sponsored by the Government Equalities Office, and mentoring newly appointed members.
From 2005-2010 I served as a founder member of the Human Tissue Authority, which regulates the removal, storage, use and disposal of human bodies, organs and tissue in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for a number of purposes such as research, public display, transplantation and education.
Imaging Laboratory
The Imaging Laboratory for Archaeology and Anthropology provides microCT and image analysis facilities for collaborative projects related to biological anthropology, bone health, and archaeology. For further information please contact me at kate.robson-brown@bristol.ac.uk.
Bristol Osteoarchaeological Research Group (BORG)
BORG provides osteoarchaeological services to a range of sectors including archaeological contractors and forensic services. For further information please contact me at kate.robson-brown@bristol.ac.uk.
Recent Funded Research Projects
2010 AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Award “The Historic Landscape of Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol” Horton M (PI), Mowl T, Robson Brown K, Wood M.
2009 The Leverhulme Trust “Ant nest excavation behaviour: a novel investigation using micro CT technology” (F/00 182/CA) Robson Brown, K (PI) and Franks, N.
2009 Context One Archaeological Unit “The skeletal remains from Taunton Priory”. Robson Brown, K.
2008 Natural History Museum, Departmental Initiative Fund “MicroCT of the La Ferrassie Neanderthal infants held at the Musée de l’Homme, Paris”. Robson Brown, K and Abel, R.
2008 Named collaborator on Action Medical Research “Creep deformation of human vertebrae” Adams, MA and Dolan, P.
2008 British Academy Research Development Award (BARDA) “The osteoarchaeology of African-British populations 1750-1850: Bristol, London and a comparison with New York” Robson Brown, K.
2007 EPSRC “Engineering solutions to back pain: an interdisciplinary approach” EP/F010575/1. Wilcox, R (PI), Aggeli, A, Robson Brown, K, Aaron, J (Co-Is).
Recent Presentations
2010 Microstructure of Neanderthal infant bone. Invited Speaker: Natural History Museum / Nikon conference “From Archaeology to Zoology: The many uses of CT” 22nd September 2010.
2010 The use of µCT in forensic anthropology: identifying cause of death. Robson Brown, K. Skyscan user meeting, July 7-9, Mechelin, Belgium.
2010 Micro-CT as a tool for investigating the dynamics of ant nest excavation. Minter, N, Franks, N, and Robson Brown, K. Skyscan user meeting, July 7-9, Michelin, Belgium.
2009 Electron absorbed fractions in skeletal soft tissues based on red bone marrow segmentation at runtime in microCT images of human trabecular bone. Kramer, R, Khoury, HJ, Viera, JW, Robson Brown, K, Fuelle, D. World Congress 2009 on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Munich, September 7-12.
2008 The impact of the HT Act on osteoarchaeology in the UK. K Robson Brown. Keynote speaker at the Wellcome Collection event “London’s Dead” 18 September 2008.
2008 Does cement distribution influence the mechanical outcome of vertebroplasty? Gibson, J, Luo, J. Robson Brown, K. Adams, MA, Annesley-Williams, DJ, Dolan, P. At the SPBR Meeting 6-7 November 2008.
2008 Pattern recognition of morphological measurements on modern and ancient humans. K Robson Brown, SS Fong, GR Lloyd, BML Clarkson, RG Brereton. At the CMA4CH Mediterraneum Meeting on Multivariate Analysis and Chemometrics applied to Cultural Heritage and Environment, Ventotene, Italy, 1-4 June 1008,
Recent Publications
Edited Books:
Robson Brown, K.A & Roberts, A. (2007). Proceedings of the 6th Annual Conference of the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology. Oxford: BAR. ISBNISBN 9781407300351
Robson Brown, K. A (2003). Archaeological Sciences 1999. British Archaeological Reports International Series 111. Oxford: Archaeopress. ISBN 1 84171 489 5.
Barham, L. & Robson Brown, K. (2001). Human Roots: African and Asia in the Middle Pleistocene. Bristol: Western Academic & Specialist Press Ltd. ISBN 0-9535418-4-3.
Websites (refereed)
Robson Brown, KA, Holmes, K, and Collins, M.
http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?hominids_ahrb_2003
Academic Journal Papers (refereed):
A selection of my most recent papers:
Robson Brown, K, Silver, IA, Musgrave, JH, Roberts, AM. The use of µCT technology to identify skull fracture in a case involving blunt force trauma. Forensic Science International 201: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.06.013.
Mahadik, Y, Hallet, SR, Robson Brown, KA. 2010. Characterisation of 3D woven composite internal architecture and effect of compaction. Composites Part A. 41: 872-880.
Kramer, R, Cassola, VF, Khoury, HJ, Viera, JW, de Melo Lima, VJ, and Robson-Brown, K. 2010. FASH and MASH: Female and Male Adult human phantoms based on polygon meSH surfaces Part II: Dosimetric calculations. Physics in Medicine and Biology 55: 163-189.
Kramer, R, Khoury, HJ, Vieira, JW and Robson Brown, KA. (2009) Skeletal dosimetry for external exposures to photons based on µCT images of spongiosa: Consideration of voxel resolution, number of micro matrices and medullary bone surfaces. Medical Physics 36 (11): 5007-5016.
Robson Brown, K, Pollintine, P. and Adams, MA (2008) The biomechanical implications of degenerative joint disease in the apophyseal joints of human thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 136 318-326.
Roberts,A, Peters,T and Robson Brown,K (2007) New light on old shoulders:palaeopathological patterns of arthropathy and enthesopathy in the shoulder complex.Journal of Anatomy 211: 485-492.
Horton, M and Robson Brown, K (2007) An aristocratic mausoleum at Grosbot Abbey (Poitou-Charente, France). In M. Costen, ed. 'People and Places', pp137-164. Oxford:Oxbow ISBN 978-1-84217-251-3.
Davies, C and Robson Brown, K (2007). Anatomy and the Human Tissue Act. Hospital Doctor September 21.
Holmes, KM, Robson Brown, KA, Oates, WP and Collins, MJ. (2006). Assessing the distribution of Asian Palaeolithic sites: a predictive model of collagen degradation.Journal of Archaeological Science, Volume 33, Issue 7, July 2006, Pages 971-986