Michael A Berthaume

Dr. Michael A Berthaume is a Professor in the Department of Engineering at King’s College London, affiliated with the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences. He previously served as Deputy Head of the Division at London South Bank University, overseeing Research and Enterprise. His roles include fellowships with the Royal Anthropological Institute and the inaugural UK Young Academy (supported by the Royal Society).

He holds degrees from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and has postdoctoral experience at institutions like the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology and Durham University. His research focuses on three pillars:

• Primate evolutionary biomechanics (dental evolution, mastication, phylogenetic analysis)
• Biomechanics of human biological variation (sesamoid bones, environmental effects)
• Prosthetics in LMICs (co-designing sustainable prosthetics for amputees in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia)

His work integrates engineering and anthropology, emphasizing transdisciplinary approaches. Recent publications include studies on sesamoid bone evolution, prosthetic wear analysis, and dental topography. He has secured funding from the Royal Society, EPSRC, and Innovate UK, and is actively involved in public outreach via initiatives like the Royal Society’s Summer Science Festival.

Current projects include the MRC-funded 'Scanning the world' (2025–2026) and the EPSRC-funded 'Guiding treatment for eating disorders' (2023). His lab at King’s houses a collection of 100+ locally made prosthetics from Sri Lanka for biomechanical analysis.

Notable achievements include the Royal Society APEX Award and collaborations on interdisciplinary studies blending anthropology with engineering solutions for global health challenges.