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HEIndividual fellowship2024–2027

RISEN · Hip at what cost? How the human pelvis adapted to bipedalism and childbirth

Horizon Europe — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2024-03-01 → 2027-02-28
EU contribution
€265,099
Participants
4
Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-GF

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Hip at what cost? How the human pelvis adapted to bipedalism and childbirth

When our ancestors began walking upright millions of years ago, the human pelvis underwent a dramatic transformation. This shift to bipedalism — walking on two legs — was one of the defining moments in human evolution, but it came at a cost. As the pelvis reshaped itself to support an upright posture, and as the human brain grew larger over time, giving birth became increasingly difficult. Today, complications during childbirth remain a major global health concern, contributing to maternal mortality and long-term conditions such as pelvic floor disorders. Despite decades of research on how the pelvis differs between men and women, a fundamental question remains unanswered: how does the pelvis actually develop from birth to adulthood, and what factors — biological, environmental, and social — shape its final form? This gap in knowledge limits our ability to understand why some women face higher risks during delivery than others. RISEN addresses this gap by studying pelvic development across the entire lifespan, from infancy to old age, using advanced three-dimensional imaging and shape analysis techniques. The project asks four key questions: How do the different parts of the pelvic bone grow and change together during childhood and adolescence? How do factors such as body weight, health, and living conditions affect pelvic shape? Are there specific bone features in women that can be linked to a higher risk of birth complications? And how does pelvic development in modern humans compare to that of our fossil ancestors? RISEN combines evolutionary research with women's health to bridge this knowledge gap. By understanding how the pelvis develops and what influences its shape, the project aims to contribute new insights relevant to both human evolution and clinical practice.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

Evolutionary selective pressures have shaped the human skeleton for millions of years, contributing to its distinctiveness compared to other primates. Among all the elements of our skeleton that have undergone huge modification, arguably one of the most distinctive ones is the pelvis. The pelvis plays a pivotal role in reinforcing the skeleton against external forces during locomotion and as such, selection pressures have acted particularly on it. However, efficient bipedalism came at a cost, when balancing other selection pressures. As a result, the difficulty of childbirth has been constant during human evolution. Today, obstructed labour is the cause of 8% of maternal mortality. A deep analysis of the biosocial dynamics that act from birth to adulthood is fundamental for a complete understanding of pelvic anatomy. Such a developmental perspective on the pelvis anatomy is currently missing. RISEN aims to fill this gap by extensively exploring the mechanisms that lie behind pelvic development, unravelling how, when, and to what extent external influences - e.g., bipedalism, health status - affect adult bone morphology. Thanks to the proposed innovative and multidisciplinary methodology that leverages cutting-edge technologies and brings together biological and cultural data, RISEN (24 months, USA – 12 months, Italy) will produce a comprehensive investigation that will have a huge impact on contemporary society or public health issues related to women's lives. This international and interdisciplinary project will give the fellow a full background and foster scientific expertise to accomplish a project as ambitious as RISEN. This project responds to EU research priorities through the transfer of gained knowledge and partnerships development with leading experts. Not only does it improve employability and career prospects, but also contributes to the EU's competitiveness and growth.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA · BolognaCoordinatorItaly
  • AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS · MadridSpain
  • THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY · University ParkUnited States
  • UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · Los Angeles CaUnited States

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union