ercastil [at] fas.alumni.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Data Science: Machine learning, reinforcement learning, artificial intelligence
Evolutionary Biology: Human evolutionary anatomy and physiology, paleoanthropology
Biomechanics: Spine mechanics, locomotion, energetics, impact shocks, injury, load carrying
Health: Evolutionary medicine, mismatch diseases, lower back pain, physical fitness, activity
EDUCATION
2017 PhD Human Evolutionary Biology. Harvard University. Thesis: The Evolution and Function of Human Lumbar Lordosis Variability
2012 AM Human Evolutionary Biology. Harvard University
2009 AB Anthropology (summa cum laude). Washington University in Saint Louis
POSITIONS
2023-present Research Associate. Harvard University
2021-present MoveOn. Lead Data Scientist
2018-2021 MoveOn. Senior Data Scientist
2017-2018 Junior Fellow. Simons Society of Fellows. Simons Foundation
2017-2018 Postdoctoral Research Associate. Hunter College, City University of New York
2012-2013 Instructor. Gross Anatomy Laboratory. Harvard University Medical School
2010-2015 Graduate Teaching Fellow. Harvard University
GRANTS & FELLOWSHIPS
2017-2018 Junior Fellowship. Society of Fellows, Simons Foundation: $104,550
2015-2016 Dissertation Completion Fellowship. C.V. Starr Scholarship Fund: $16,000
2013-2015 Dissertation Fieldwork Grant. Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research: $18,065
2013-2014 Chapman Fellowship. Robert A. Chapman Memorial Scholarship for Studies of Vertebrate Locomotion: $6,000
2011-2014 Graduate Research Fellowship Program. National Science Foundation: $30,000/year (3-year fellowship)
2011 Research Grant: “Energetics of load carrying in Chinese porters." The Fairbank Center for East Asian Research, Harvard University: $2,877
AWARDS & HONORS
2016 Anatomy in Anthropology Award. American Association of Anatomists and American Association of Physical Anthropologists
2014, 2015 Distinction in Teaching Award. Derek Bok Center of Teaching and Learning, Harvard University
2009 John W Bennett Prize. Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis
2009 Award of Excellence in Anthropology. Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis
2009 Lambda Alpha Anthropology Honor Society. Washington University in St. Louis Chapter
2009 Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society. Washington University in St. Louis Chapter
2008 Phi Beta Kappa Academic Honor Society. Washington University in St. Louis Chapter
PUBLICATIONS
Castillo ER, Urlacher SS, Gurven M, Pontzer H. (in prep) Changes in mortality rates and life expectancy through the Epidemiological Transition: An evolutionary perspective.
Castillo ER, Lieberman DE. (in prep) Effects of lordosis on bending deformation of the human lumbar spine during in vivo axial loading.
Yegian AK, Heymsfield SB, Castillo ER, Müller MJ, Redman LM, Lieberman DE. (2024) Metabolic scaling, energy allocation tradeoffs, and the evolution of humans’ unique metabolism. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A. 121(48). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2409674121. pdf
Dudar JC, Castillo ER. (2019) Quantification of anatomical variation at the atlanto-occipital articulation: Morphometric resolution of commingled human remains within the repatriation documentation process. Journal of Anatomy 235(2): 396-411. DOI: 10.1111/joa.12561. pdf
Castillo ER, Lieberman DE. (2018) Shock attenuation in the human lumbar spine during walking and running. Journal of Experimental Biology 221(9). DOI: 10.1242/jeb.177949. pdf
Young HS, McCauley DJ, Dirzo R, Nunn CL, Campana MG, Agwanda B, Otárola-Castillo ER, Castillo ER, Pringle RM, Veblen KE, Salkeld DJ, Stewardson K, Fleischer R, Lambin EF, Palmer TM, Helgen KM. (2017) Interacting effects of land use and climate on rodent-borne pathogens in central Kenya. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 372: 20160116. DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0116. pdf
Castillo ER, Hsu C, Mair RW, Lieberman DE. (2017) Testing biomechanical models of human lumbar lordosis variability. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 163(1): 110-121. DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23189. pdf
Castillo ER, Sang MK, Sigei TK, Dingwall HL, Okutoyi P, Ojiambo R, Otárola-Castillo ER, Pitsiladis Y, Lieberman DE. (2016) Physical fitness differences between rural and urban children from western Kenya. American Journal of Human Biology 28(4): 514-523. DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.22822. pdf
Hsu C, Castillo E, Lieberman D. (2015) The relationship between trunk muscle strength and flexibility, intervertebral disc wedging, and human lumbar lordosis. The Harvard Undergraduate Research Journal 8(1): 35-41. pdf
Lieberman DE, Warrener AG, Wang J, Castillo ER. (2015) Effects of stride frequency and foot position at landing on braking force, hip torque, impact peak force and the metabolic cost of running in humans. Journal of Experimental Biology 218: 3406-3414. DOI: 10.1242/jeb.125500. pdf
Lieberman DE, Castillo ER, Otárola-Castillo ER, Sang MK, Sigei TK, Ojiambo R, Okutoyi P, Pitsiladis Y. (2015) Variation in foot strike patterns among habitually barefoot and shod runners in Kenya. PLoS ONE 10(7): e0131354. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131354. pdf
Castillo ER, Lieberman DE. (2015) Lower back pain. Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health 1(1): 2-3. DOI: 10.1093/emph/eou034. pdf
Castillo ER, Lieberman GM, McCarty LS, Lieberman DE. (2014) Effects of pole compliance and step frequency on the biomechanics and economy of pole carrying during human walking. Journal of Applied Physiology 117(5): 507-517. DOI: 10.992/japplphysiol.00119.2014. pdf
Castillo, E. (2009) Portable 3D Camera Systems for Field Studies of Primate Locomotion . Washington University Undergraduate Research Digest 5(1): 13.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS & PUBLISHED ABSTRACTS
Castillo ER, Lieberman DE. (2019) In vivo bending deformation of the human lumbar spine during axial loading: Implications for hominin postural adaptation. American Association of Physical Anthropology 168(S68): 37.
Castillo ER, Urlacher SS, Gurven M, Pontzer H. (2018) What kills us and why? Comparing age-specific mortality profiles across human populations. International Society for Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health. [poster presentation] abstract
Castillo ER, Pontzer H. (2018) Locomotor-respiratory dynamics and gait frequency tuning in humans. American Association of Physical Anthropology 165(S17): 43-44.
Castillo ER, Lieberman DE. (2018) Lordosis variability and shock transmission in the human lumbar spine. Society for Comparative and Integrative Biology 58: E290-E290. [poster presentation] abstract
Yegian AK, Castillo ER, McCabe CM. (2018) Are primates low energy? Testing the heat dissipation hypothesis for mammalian field metabolic rate scaling. Society for Comparative and Integrative Biology 58, E258-E258. [podium presentation] abstract
Castillo ER, Lieberman DE. (2017) Lordosis variability and shock attenuation in the hominin lumbar spine. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 162(S64): 139. [invited symposium] abstract
Otárola-Castillo ER, Castillo ER, Hora M, Torquato MG, Warrener AG, Pontzer H. (2017) walkR: a software package to analyze the biomechanics of human locomotion. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 162(S64): 306. [poster presentation]
Castillo ER, Hsu C, Mair RW, Lieberman DE. (2016) Testing biomechanical models for lumbar lordosis variation in hominins. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 159(S62): 111. [podium presentation] abstract
Lieberman DE, Castillo ER, Otárola-Castillo ER, Sang M, Sigei T, Ojiambo R, Okutoyi P, Pitsiladis Y. (2015) Testing the effects of shoes on foot strength, stiffness and function. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 156(S60): 204. [podium presentation] abstract
McCabe CM, Castillo ER, Otárola-Castillo ER. (2015) Enhancing physical anthropology graduate education with public outreach in the K-12 classroom. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 156(S60): 204. [invited symposium] abstract
Machanda Z, Brazeau NF, Castillo ER, Otárola-Castillo ER, Pontzer H, Emery Thompson M, Muller M, Wrangham RW. (2015) Musculoskeletal growth patterns in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). American Journal of Physical Anthropology 156(S60): 209. [podium presentation] abstract
Warrener AG, Amanullah S, Castillo ER, Lieberman DE. (2015) Balancing the body: frontal plane dynamics during locomotion. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 156(S60): 320. [podium presentation] abstract
Castillo ER, Lieberman DE. (2014) In vivo axial loading and lumbar deformation in rural and urban adults from western Kenya. Northeast Regional Joint Meeting of the Division of Vertebrate Morphology and Division of Comparative Biomechanics, Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. [podium presentation]
Lieberman D, Addison B, Castillo E, Dingwall H. (2014) How do shoes affect foot function during human walking and running? Seventh World Biomechanics Congress. [podium presentation]
Castillo ER, Sang M, Sigei T, Ojiambo R, Pitsiladis Y, Lieberman DE. (2014) Effects of physical activity on sex differences in lumbar lordosis development in rural and urban Kenyan population. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 153 (S58): 92. [poster presentation] abstract
Hatala KG, Lieberman DE, Dingwall HL, Castillo ER, Wunderlich RE, Okutoyi P, Sigei T, Anjila A, Pitsiladis Y, Richmond BG. (2013) Variation in running foot strike patterns in two habitually unshod Kenyan populations. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 150 (S56): 144-145. [podium presentation] abstract
Castillo ER, Frankel G, Lieberman DE. (2012) Carrying loads using bamboo poles: a potential method for reducing the metabolic cost of carrying. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 147 (S54): 114. [podium presentation] abstract
Castillo ER, Dudar J. (2010) Quantifying variation at the occipito-cervical articular surfaces using 3D scanning technology. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 141 (S50): 79. [poster presentation] abstract
Castillo ER. (2009) Portable 3D Camera Systems for Field Studies of Primate Locomotion. Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium, Washington University in St. Louis. [poster presentation]
INVITED TALKS
"Bipedalism and back pain: Evolutionary perspectives on lumbar spinal pathology." July 2019. Annual medical conference (CME), Las Vegas. Far Eastern University Dr. Nicanor Reyes School of Medicine Alumni Foundation.
"New frontiers in evolutionary medicine: Leveraging technology, modeling, and software to studies of human evolution and health." March 2018. Center For Devices and Radiological Health. Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories, U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
"The Evolution of Hominin Lower Back Posture: Functional Tradeoffs Underlying Lumbar Lordosis Variability." September 2017. Center for Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology. The George Washington University.
TEACHING
2011-2015 Teaching Fellow, Harvard University:
SCI-LIVSYS 16 - Human Evolution and Human Health (2014, 2015)
HEB 1210 - Research in Comparative Biomechanics (2011, 2013)
2012, 2013 Gross Anatomy Lab Instructor, Harvard University Medical School
IN753.0 - The Human Body (1st-year anatomy, physiology, and histology)
2009-2010 English Teacher, Buckland International Education Group. Yilong No. 1 Middle School, Yilong County, Sichuan Province, China
FIELDWORK
2017-2018 The Daasanach Human Biology Project. Ileret, Kenya. Koobi Fora Field School. Director: David Braun. PI: Herman Pontzer
2012-2014 Ontogeny of lumbar curvature. Rift Valley Province, Kenya. PI: Daniel E. Lieberman
2012-2013 Rural versus urban physical fitness differences among Kalenjin children. Rift Valley, Kenya. PI: Daniel E. Lieberman
2012-2013 Foot strike and foot development among habitually barefoot and shod people. Rift Valley, Kenya. PI: Daniel E. Lieberman
2011 Excavation. Zhoukoudian (Locality 1). Beijing, China. Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology. Directors: Gao Xing & Zhang Shuangquan
2011 Biomechanics and energetics of pole carrying in Chinese porters. Sichuan, China. PI: Daniel E. Lieberman
2011 Excavation. Ileret, Kenya . Koobi Fora Field School Director: John W. Harris
ACADEMIC SERVICE & OUTREACH
2014-2015 Statistical computing consultant, Dept. of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
2014-2015 Organizer, Graduate student professional development course, Dept. of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard
2013 Human evolution expert at an outreach event: "Amazing Archaeology Day," Peabody Museum, Cambridge, MA
2012-2013 Guest speaker on human evolution for 9th grade students, Somerville High School, Somerville, MA
2012-2013 Department representative to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Council, Harvard University
2011-2012 Faculty-Graduate Student Liaison, Dept. of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University