Department of Neuroscience

Research Abstract

As a paleoneurologist, my research questions stem from a desire to understand the evolution of neural diversity within and across non-mammalian vertebrate clades, especially dinosaurs. Using comparative anatomical studies, digital restoration, and modern comparative methods, my research program investigates evolutionary patterns of dinosaur brain and brain-region size and shape in an effort to expand our overall understanding of how, when, and why vertebrate brains evolve.

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Selected Publications

• Morhardt, Ashley C. From Fossils to Function: Integrative and Taxonomically Inclusive Approaches to Vertebrate Evolutionary Neuroscience. Brain, behavior and evolution 91 (2018): 123-124.
• Gignac, P. M., N. J. Kley, J. A. Clarke, M. W. Colbert, A. C. Morhardt, D. Cerio, I. N. Cost, P. G. Cox, J. D. Daza, C. M. Early, M. S. Echols, R. M. Henkelman, A. N. Herdina, C. M. Holliday, Z. Li, K. Mahlow, S. Merchant, J. Müller, C.P. Orsbon, D. J. Paluh, M. L. Theis, H. P. Tsai, L. M, Witmer. Diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced computed tomography (diceCT): an emerging tool for rapid, high-resolution, 3-D imaging of metazoan soft tissues. Journal of Anatomy. 228(6): 889-909.

For a complete list of Dr. Morhardt's publications, click here.