I am a zoologist interested in the relationship between mammalian bone shape and its functions, particularly in Carnivora.

My previous work focused mainly on locomotion, combining the study of functional limb bone morphology (traditional and geometric morphometrics) with high-speed video analysis of live animals (kinematics).

In MINKS, I study how skull shape in native and introduced minks relates to their feeding biomechanics and dietary preferences. Hopefully the insight gained from this project will help in the conservation of the European mink, one of the most threatened mammals in Europe.

Phil undertook his PhD in the Museum of Zoology, University of Cambridge, followed by two postdoctoral positions at the University of Liverpool. He is currently Senior Lecturer in Anatomy at the Hull York Medical School and Department of Archaeology, University of York.

Phil's research is principally concerned with the mammalian skull and how it has been shaped by both evolution and function. He is particularly interested in how the forces generated by feeding can influence cranial morphology. He investigates these issues using a number of techniques such as geometric morphometrics, finite element analysis, and diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced microCT. Many of Phil’s current research projects apply these methods towards issues of conservation and invasive species such as red vs grey squirrels and European vs American mink.