Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo

Department of Biological Sciences
Graduate School of Science
The University of Tokyo

Labs Morita Lab

JP

Relevant Division, Interlocking faculties / Phylogenetic Systematics Morita Lab Dental Anthropology

Laboratory Website

Associate Professor Wataru Morita

Subject of research

  1. 1. Elucidating the Evolutionary Changes in Human Teeth
  2. 2. Phenotype–Genotype Mapping of Teeth Using Suncus
  3. 3. Morphological Analysis of Miocene Fossil Ape Teeth

Understanding the Morphological Evolution of Human Teeth from a Broad Perspective

Teeth are an essential subject of evolutionary research because they are abundant in the fossil record and serve as key indicators for reconstructing past animal diets and phylogenetic relationships. In our laboratory, we aim to reconstruct the evolutionary changes in the teeth of humans—and further back, of mammals—by elucidating the relationship between phenotype and genotype. In this process, we employ a wide range of research methods, from fieldwork to laboratory work, including excavation surveys, 3D morphological analysis, machine learning, and genome analysis. Although our primary material is teeth, we also make use of museum collections, and we welcome graduate students to pursue their own unique research themes as long as they relate to the morphology of organisms.
  • 3D models of Suncus dentition

  • Excavation in Turkey