Cristina Gildee (she/her/hers)

Ms. Gildee’s research centers on the intersections between hominin biomechanics, bone biology, human reproduction, and their combined impact on bone remodeling. She is particularly interested in expanding the knowledge base we use to understand osteological aging. Her primary project investigates the cross-cultural applicability of osteoporosis-risk models; specifically, how population differences in estrogen exposure, reproductive history, and child-rearing behavior impact bone aging. Her work compares and tests models using large population-based data sets (e.g., NHANES, UKBioBank) with data from non-WEIRD populations to investigate variation in the costs of reproduction and its impacts on bone health and aging. She has previously presented on topics with applications for rehabilitation medicine, biomarker validation, biomechanics, and energetics research.