We’re excited to share our new study published in the Journal of Anatomy, where we explored how microscopic structures of human bone scale with femoral cross-sectional size. Using midshaft femur microradiographs from 73 individuals in the Melbourne Femur Research Collection, we set out to test whether cortical thickness and biomechanical properties influence the size and density of secondary osteons produced during remodelling.

In our analysis, we measured cortical‑to‑total area (CA/TA), femoral rigidity (Imax/Imin), osteon area, the ratio of Haversian canal to osteon area (H.Ar/On.Ar), and osteon population density across the anterior, posterior, medial and lateral quadrants. We found strong negative correlations between CA/TA and H.Ar/On.Ar in the full sample, in males, and in a subgroup of sedentary but well‑nourished individuals. In these groups, thicker cortices were associated with less porous osteons, meaning smaller Haversian canals relative to surrounding lamellar bone. Notably, this pattern did not appear in females or in other age and lifestyle categories.

Our findings highlight that bone microstructure does not vary independently of bone size. We argue that allometric effects, particularly cortical thickness, should be incorporated into future assessments of bone remodelling and lifestyle reconstruction to avoid confounding histological interpretations.

Link to our paper: ​https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joa.70143 

A paper Justyna co-authord, led by Chloe Boucher, recently published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, received international attention, with major outlets highlighting its significance for understanding disease, disability, and caregiving in early Philippine societies. 

Medium profiled the study as a window into disease and disability during the Metal Period, emphasising how the skeletal evidence reveals the lived experience of impairment in early Philippine communities. 

PhilStar Global News focused on the discovery as rare evidence of prehistoric caregiving, noting that the individual’s long-term survival with severe impairment suggests strong community support and social care practices 2,000 years ago. 

Archaeology Magazine highlighted the identification of scurvy in the remains, underscoring the study’s contribution to understanding micronutrient deficiency, health stress, and the interplay between diet and disability in ancient Luzon.

Link to paper:
Boucher C, Hussin D, Miszkiewicz JJ, Bolunia MJLA, De Leon AS, Peñalosa AL, Pagulayan PS, Soranio V, Oxenam M, Vlok M. 2026. Nutritional deficiency contributing to physical impairment of an individual in the Metal Period Philippines (~2000-1800BP). International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 

Links to the news sites:
What a 2,000-Year-Old Philippine Skeleton Reveals About Disease and Disability During the Metal Period Medium
What prehistoric bones bare about early Filipino caregiving PhilStar Global News
Scurvy detected on 2,000-year-old remains from the Philippines. Archaeology Magazine

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We are delighted that Mr Antony Joseph Cevallos Alava, PhD Candidate at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), has been awarded an ICON SGroup Intercontinental Academic Exchange Programme grant. As part of this award, Antony will join our lab for a short-term research stay in September. He will collaborate with Justyna on a project investigating bone loss in archaeological populations, drawing on our microscopy facilities. Antony will also contribute to our research training culture by delivering a bioarchaeological methods workshop - more soon!

Well done Antony!