Matthew Skinner

Matthew Skinner is a Group Leader of the Dental Evolution and Development group at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA), affiliated with the Department of Archaeogenetics and Department of Human Origins. His research focuses on understanding human and non-human primate evolution through the study of fossil teeth and jaws. He leads projects in Kenya, including fieldwork at Chesowanja and Koobi Fora. Skinner holds an ERC-funded NewHuman grant (2019-2025) and founded Human Fossil Record.org.

Education: BA in Archaeology (Simon Fraser University, 2002), PhD in Hominid Paleobiology (George Washington University, 2008). Postdoctoral work at MPI-EVA followed by roles at University College London and the University of Kent, where he became a professor in 2020 before joining MPI-EVA in 2023.

Research interests include dental evolution, fossil morphology, and paleoenvironmental adaptation. Grants include the ERC NewHuman project. Key collaborations involve fieldwork and morphological analyses of hominin fossils. His lab focuses on integrating microCT scanning and biomechanical modeling to study functional morphology.