Leigha Lynch, PhD

This is fantastic!

Great job SQuEACs lab!

Morphological Characteristics of the Distal Iliopsoas Tendon and Its Relationship to Adjacent Osseous Structures Background The iliopsoas muscle influences lumbo-pelvic posture and gait stability, with its distal portions contributing to common anterior hip pathologies, including iliopsoas bursitis, impingement...

Excited to share the publication of a recent collaboration led by student doctor John Tracey who examined distal iliopsoas tendon morphology, measuring key pelvic and femoral landmarks to understand how tendon shape relates to surrounding bone architecture.
www.cureus.com/articles/438...

The #SQuEACs lab wrapped up an amazing #SICB2026! Shoutout to everyone who presented and thanks to those who visited our posters and talked science. Great start to #newyear2026.

I also get to present on some #genetic research from my lab today at #SICB2026. If you love gene evolution and want to learn more about PAX6 evolution see me at poster 252.

The SQuEACs lab is wrapping up the #SICB2026 poster session with Megan teaching us about the effects of multiple staining techniques on neural tissue in amphibians (poster 169A).

#SICB2026 poster session 2 kicks off soon. If you are interested in mustelid cranial nerves go see Blake #004 or if fish brains are your thing, John can tell you all about mosquito fish at poster #013

SQuEACs lab was well represented today at #SICB2025. Thanks to all who visited James and Dominik's posters. If you want to learn about mustelid neuroanatomy or variation in fish brain shape come visit Blake and John tomorrow during the poster session!

#SICB2026 if you have phylogenetic, morphometric or stats questions or want some super cool stickers come see me today at the #DPCB Ask an Expert Booth during the poster session!

Today kicks off #SICB2026 workshops! Exciting!

Here we look at how PAX6, a gene that regulates brain and eye development, has evolved across gnathostomes and how mutations in this gene may correlate with life history!

Last but not least, #SICB2026 come see my poster!
🧬 *PAX6 evolution in Gnathostomes relative to life history* — Jan 6, 3:30–5:30 PM, P3-252.
Authors: Lynch, Sofia Barajas, & Phillips.
Links PAX6 evolution with life-history traits.
#SQuEACsLab #Neuroanatomy #Evolution #Genes

These might be the cutest scientific drawings ever.

Blake and James highlight the considerable variation seen in the cranial nerve size and distribution, as well as brain morphology, of the North American river otter and long tailed weasel.

John's poster highlights the considerable anatomical variation found in the brain of these little fishes!

If you use diceCT on neural tissue or PTA you want to see Megan's poster!

#DiceCT alert at #SICB2026
🐸 *Assessing the impact of sequential staining on microCT data integrity in amphibians* — Jan 6, 3:30–5:30 PM, P3-169A.
Authors: Megan Hostetter, Valdez, Heesy, Phillips, & Lynch.
Compares Lugol’s vs PTA staining effects.
#SQuEACsLab #CTImaging #Morphology #Neuroanatomy

SICB poster alert!
🐟 *Morphological brain variation within Cyprinodontiformes* — Jan 5, 3:30–5:30 PM, P2-013.
Authors: John Neal, Dominik Valdez, Phillips, & Lynch.
Brain shape variation across six species.
#SICB2026 #SQuEACsLab #CTImaging #Morphology #Neuroanatomy #Evolution #ComparativeBiology

🧠 *Neuroanatomical correlates of ecological specialization in two mustelid species* — Jan 5, 3:30–5:30 PM, P2-004.
Authors: Blake Andrea, James Bates, Dominik Valdez, Heather F. Smith, & Lynch.
Examines sensory ecology via CT.
#SICB2026 #CTImaging #Morphology #Neuroanatomy #Evolution

Building on SQuEACs lab intraspecific variation studies, this poster is going to shock you in how different the orientation of the vestibular system is within the North American otter. I won't spoil Dominik's cool finds though so come visit his poster!

This poster is going to blow your mind in how different cranial musculature varies between otter and long-tailed weasel. Hint- The inferior oblique is way different! WHYYYYY?

🦦 *Variation in orbit-to-semicircular canal orientation in the North American river otter* — Jan 4, 3:30–5:30 PM, P1-143.
Authors: Dominik Valdez, Austin Bay, Hansan Jones, Celeste Delap, Smith, Heesy, & Lynch
#SICB2026 #SQuEACsLab #CTImaging #Morphology #Neuroanatomy #Evolution #ComparativeBiology

A SICB poster to see!
🦦 *Comparative cranial musculature of two mustelids: insights into functional morphology and ecology* — Jan 4, 3:30–5:30 PM, P1-135.
Authors: Blake Andrea, James Bates, Dominik Valdez, Heather F. Smith, & Leigha M. Lynch.

#SICB2026 #SQuEACsLab #Morphology #Neuroanatomy

A FAIR narrative on open science: when, who, what and how of computed tomography and the NoCTURN network Abstract. Open science, the practice of making research products and processes free and available to scientists and non-scientists alike, is transforming i

🧠 New paper alert! Our NoCTURN–SQuEACs Lab collaboration is now out in Royal Society Open Science!
We explore CT data accessibility, standards, & the future of shared imaging resources.
Read it here: doi.org/10.1098/rsos...

#NoCTURN #SQuEACsLab #CTData #FAIRScience

First SICB lineup!
🧠 *On being the right brain-body size* — Jan 4, 11:30–11:45 AM, B117.
Authors: Christopher P. Heesy & Leigha M. Lynch.
A deep look at how body mass variation affects allometric analyses.
#SICB2026 #SQuEACsLab #CTImaging #Morphology #Neuroanatomy #Evolution #ComparativeBiology

#SICB2025
Come back throughout the month to check out work led and co-authored by our awesome SQuEACs Lab students: Megan Hostetter, James Bates, Blake Andrea, John Neal, Austin Bay, and Hansan Jones!

🎉 SQuEACs Lab at SICB 2026!
We’ll be highlighting research across neuroanatomy, evolution, and CT imaging throughout the holiday break.
#SICB2026 #SQuEACsLab #CTImaging #Morphology #Neuroanatomy #Evolution #ComparativeBiology

Anatomical variation in the external vasculature of the human heart: A cadaveric investigation of dominance in coronary artery branching and cardiac venous drainage Coronary artery and cardiac venous drainage patterns exhibit substantial anatomical variability, which can impact surgical planning and patient outcom…

After 3 years of culminated data, I'm proud to present our most recent paper: Anatomical variation in the external vasculature of the human heart: A cadaveric investigation of dominance in coronary artery branching and cardiac venous drainage
Congrats to all!

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...