Biography
Ethan Hill, PhD received a bachelors from Texas Tech University in 2012 and a Master of Science in Anthropology from the University of New Mexico in 2016. He completed his Doctorate in Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of New Mexico in 2020. Dr. Hill is an assistant professor in the Division of Physical Therapy.
Personal Statement
I am a biological anthropologist and assistant professor in the Division of Physical Therapy, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. My primary research explores how bone metabolism is influenced by the ways humans interact with and within their built environments in contemporary and archaeological contexts. I am a part of the Virtual Early Life Stress in Pediatric Decedents project (VELS-Pediatrics), where I apply this research lens to bone health in children and adolescents who lived in New Mexico within the past decade. Much of this research has leveraged my expertise in methods of CT image analysis to study the quality and quantity of bone, muscle, and adipose tissue. My recent work on this project focuses on how bone density and strength is negatively impacted by early life physiological stress, chronic inflammatory conditions (e.g. fatty liver disease, abdominal obesity), physical inactivity, and social determinants of health.
I teach human gross anatomy and neuroanatomy in the Division of Physical Therapy. I am passionate about teaching these subjects and believe that excellence in anatomy education sets the foundation for students to be lifelong learners and excel as clinicians throughout their career.
Areas of Specialty
Anatomy, Osteology, Bone adaptation, Bone remodeling, Biomechanics
Key Publications
Journal Article
O’Donnell, Lexi, Green, John, J. Hill, Ethan, O’Donnell, Michael, J. 2024 Biocultural and social determinants of ill health and early mortality in a New Mexican paediatric autopsy sample Journal of Biosocial Science, vol. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-biosocial-science/article/biocultural-and-social-determinants-of-ill-health-and-early-mortality-in-a-new-mexican-paediatric-autopsy-sample/DC8CA68B5ADB742F09A91A07625286BB
Journal Article
Hill, Ethan, O’Donnell, Lexi, 2023 Low bone mineral density is associated with fatty liver disease and respiratory illness in a pediatric mortality sample Osteoporosis International, vol. 34, Issue 7, 1231--1239 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-023-06760-4
Abstracts
Hill, Ethan, Nolte - retire 6/30/24, Kurt, Moody Jones, Beth, 2021 Case Report: An Encapsulated Mass of the Gluteal Region Found During Cadaveric Dissection The FASEB Journal, 35S1, http://dx.doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.2021.35.s1.03554 Journal Article Hill, Ethan, Pearson, Osbjorn, M. Durband, Arthur, C. Walshe, Keryn, Carlson, Kristian, J. Grine, Frederick, E. 2020 An examination of the cross?sectional geometrical properties of the long bone diaphyses of Holocene foragers from Roonka, South Australia American Journal of Physical Anthropology, vol. 172, Issue 4, 682--697 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajpa.24021
Journal Article
O'Donnell, Lexi, Hill, Ethan, Anderson, Amy, S. Edgar, Heather, J. 2020 Cribra orbitalia and porotic hyperostosis are associated with respiratory infections in a contemporary mortality sample from New Mexico American Journal of Physical Anthropology, vol. 173, Issue 4, 721-733
Gender
Male
Languages
- English
Courses Taught
Dr. Hill currently teaches Gross Anatomy and the Neuroanatomy portion of Neurologic Evaluation and Treatment for the Division of Physical Therapy in the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation.
Research and Scholarship
Dr. Hill’s research involves examining how the human skeleton responds to habitual physical activity over a person’s lifetime by using CT imaging and biomechanical analyses. This research has primarily focused on using patterns of long bone shape and strength to examine human behavior in archaeological contexts. He also has research interests examining the relationship between skeletal lesions, bone density, and disease in contemporary populations in New Mexico.