Internship Project
Biology

CT-based Fossil Vertebrate Anatomy

Institution
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Museum für Naturkunde (Natural History Museum Berlin)
Subject Area
Vertebrate Paleontology
Availability
05 May – 25 July
19 May – 08 August
02 June – 22 August
16 June – 05 September
 
Internship Modality:
On-site internship in Berlin

Applications for 2025 are open from November 11 to December 20, 2024.
Project Supervisor(s)
Prof. Jörg Fröbisch, PhD
Academic Level
Advanced undergraduate students (from second year) 
Master's students 
Ph.D. students 
Language
English
Further Information
Project Type
Academic Research
Project Content
The application of computed tomography (CT) in Vertebrate Paleontology has proven to be very useful for examining the internal anatomy of various vertebrates (specifically: tetrapods) and testing hypotheses regarding the interrelationships of the significant early tetrapod groups. Amniotes (fully terrestrial vertebrates) represent one of the major lineages of vertebrates with an evolutionary history of about 320 million years. However, there are still many uncertainties regarding the early evolutionary history of the group during the Paleozoic. 
This project will involve utilizing micro-CT data to investigate and digitally segment an early amniote's internal skull (endocranial) anatomy. It will also include an anatomical description of the newly revealed anatomy and performing updated phylogenetic analyses. The research will contribute important information that will lead to a more thorough understanding of early amniote evolution.
Tasks for Interns
  • Segmentation of CT data using specialty software VGStudioMax or Amira
  • Literature research
  • Anatomical description
  • Phylogenetic analysis
Academic Level
Advanced undergraduate students (from second year) 
Master's students 
Ph.D. students 
Requirements
  • Background in Vertebrate Anatomy
  • Additional beneficial skills:
    • Background in Vertebrate Paleontology
    • Experience with CT segmentation
    • Experience with phylogenetic analysis 
Expected Preparation
Readings into vertebrate paleontology and specifically into the early evolution of amniotes (reptiles and synapsids).
Back to Project List

For more information on the Humboldt Internship Program or the project, please contact the program coordinator.