Justin Adams

Justin W. Adams, PhD is a Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Human Anatomy Education within the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology at Monash University. He has been actively involved in fieldwork and faunal analysis in the Cradle of Humankind UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003, focusing on Pliocene and early Pleistocene South African mammalian faunas and palaeocave taphonomy.

His research integrates comparative methods and advanced 3D imaging to study living and fossil mammal anatomy, with an increasing emphasis on Australian marsupial adaptation and evolution. He collaborates with institutions like the University of Johannesburg as a Research Associate and contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals through his work.

Research trends from his recent articles highlight interdisciplinary approaches spanning Biomedical Engineering (medical device prototyping), Paleontology (saber-tooth evolution, marsupial fossils), and Imaging Studies (3D scanning, synchrotron microscopy). Key subfields include

• Biomechanical modeling
• Dental life history analysis
• Marsupial adaptation
• Paleoecology
• Comparative anatomy
• Medical education technology

Scientific awards include

• ePoster Prize Winner (2015)
• Monash BDI Awards for Outstanding Achievement (2019)
• Poster Presentation Award (Sept 2017)

He supervises PhD students and leads the Integrated Morphology and Palaeontology Lab, which specializes in 3D imaging and comparative analysis of fossil and extant mammals. His work has garnered significant media attention, including coverage in 49 news outlets in 2019.