معرفی
Christopher Schmitt is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Biology at Boston University, with an affiliation in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. His research focuses on primate growth, metabolic adaptations, and conservation genomics, particularly in savanna monkeys (Chlorocebus spp.) and the critically endangered yellow-tailed woolly monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda).
Education: PhD in Anthropology from New York University.
Research interests include the interplay between environmental extremes and primate physiology, genomic techniques for studying developmental morphometrics, and the genetic basis of obesity-related traits. He leads the International Vervet Research Consortium, collecting data from over 2,000 wild vervet monkeys. Current projects involve genomic assessments of metabolic adaptations, captive-identified obesity genes in wild populations, and conservation genomics of yellow-tailed woolly monkeys.
Fieldwork spans South Africa, Peru, and the Caribbean, collaborating with institutions like North West University and NGOs such as Yunkawasi Perú. His lab develops de novo reference genomes for endangered species and employs portable genomic technologies in the field. He also investigates high-altitude adaptation in ateline primates and the role of diet in genomic variation.
Teaching includes courses on human behavioral biology, evolutionary genetics, and primate ecology. Research trends in his articles emphasize genomic tools for conservation, metabolic adaptation mechanisms, and ethical primatological practices. Collaborative efforts with global teams highlight interdisciplinary approaches to biodiversity preservation and primate health.
