{"id":768,"date":"2019-12-05T17:55:50","date_gmt":"2019-12-05T22:55:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/?page_id=768"},"modified":"2026-03-19T08:33:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T12:33:35","slug":"research-2-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/research-2-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Areas of Research"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<section class=\"fullwidth-text-block\">\r\n\t<div class=\"container px-0 pt-5\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"row align-items-start\">\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Areas of Research<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dr. Valerie DeLeon and the members of the DeLeon Lab use 3D virtual morphology to investigate sources of anatomical variation in humans and other primates.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/research-2\/3d-modules\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-780\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-780\" src=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-4-300x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-4-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-4-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-4-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-4-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-4.png 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-1.png\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-773\">\u00a0 \u00a0<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/primate-skeletal-development\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-773\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-773\" src=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-1-300x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-1-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-1-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-1-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-1.png 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-2.png\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-774\">\u00a0 \u00a0<\/a><a href=\"#Mechanisms-Underlying-Cranial-Variation\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-774\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-774\" src=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-2-300x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-2-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-2-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-2-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-2-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-2.png 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\" \/><\/a> \u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"#Mouse-Models-for-Cranial-Dysmorphology\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-777\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-777\" src=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-3-300x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-3-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-3-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-3-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-3-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Primate-Skeletal-Development-3.png 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div id=\"metaslider-id-1458\" style=\"width: 100%;\" class=\"ml-slider-3-106-0 metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-1458 ml-slider has-dots-nav ms-theme-default-base\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"Slider-Research Page\" data-height=\"450\" data-width=\"900\">\n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_1458\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_1458\">\n            <ul class='slides'>\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1459 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-05-01 11:39:39\" data-filename=\"Figure_sphenoid-PDF.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Figure_sphenoid-PDF.jpg\" class=\"slider-1458 slide-1459 msDefaultImage\" alt=\"\" rel=\"\" title=\"Sphenoid of Callicebus\" style=\"margin: 0 auto; width: 83.333333333333%\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Figure_sphenoid-PDF.jpg 500w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Figure_sphenoid-PDF-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Figure_sphenoid-PDF-200x120.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><h3 class=\"slideshow_title\">We generate 3D PDFs to let our audience interactively view important structures in three dimensions.<\/h3> <h4 class=\"slideshow_description\"><em>Image:<\/em> Sphenoid of <em>Callicebus<\/em><\/h4><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1460 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-05-01 11:39:39\" data-filename=\"FIgure_turbinals.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/FIgure_turbinals.jpg\" class=\"slider-1458 slide-1460 msDefaultImage\" alt=\"\" rel=\"\" title=\"Turbinals of &lt;i&gt;Lemur catta&lt;\/i&gt;\" style=\"margin: 0 auto; width: 83.333333333333%\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/FIgure_turbinals.jpg 500w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/FIgure_turbinals-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/FIgure_turbinals-200x120.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><h3 class=\"slideshow_title\">Virtual reconstructions allow us to study functionally important structures inside the skull.<\/h3> <h4 class=\"slideshow_description\"><em>Image:<\/em> Turbinals of <em>Lemur catta<\/em><\/h4><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1461 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-05-01 11:39:39\" data-filename=\"Figure_metric-study.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Figure_metric-study.jpg\" class=\"slider-1458 slide-1461 msDefaultImage\" alt=\"\" rel=\"\" title=\"Corresponding landmarks on Callicebus and Tarsius neonates\" style=\"margin: 0 auto; width: 83.333333333333%\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Figure_metric-study.jpg 500w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Figure_metric-study-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Figure_metric-study-200x120.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><h3 class=\"slideshow_title\">Landmark-based geometric morphometric methods allow us to objectively describe and test anatomic shape variation.<\/h3> <h4 class=\"slideshow_description\"><em>Image:<\/em> Corresponding landmarks on <em>Callicebus<\/em> and <em>Tarsius<\/em> neonates<\/h4><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-1462 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-05-01 11:39:39\" data-filename=\"Figure_bony-bridging.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Figure_bony-bridging.jpg\" class=\"slider-1458 slide-1462 msDefaultImage\" alt=\"\" rel=\"\" title=\"Craniofacial phenotyping in a mouse model for Crouzon syndrome\" style=\"margin: 0 auto; width: 83.333333333333%\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Figure_bony-bridging.jpg 500w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Figure_bony-bridging-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Figure_bony-bridging-200x120.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\"><h3 class=\"slideshow_title\">We apply our methods in animal models of human disease to study the developmental mechanisms that cause craniofacial malformations.<\/h3> <h4 class=\"slideshow_description\"><em>Image:<\/em> Craniofacial phenotyping in a mouse model for Crouzon syndrome<\/h4><\/div><\/div><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/research-2\/3d-modules\/\">Interactive 3D Models<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sphenoethmoidal Junction in Perinatal Primates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/content-removed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-341 noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-341 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/varecia-thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\"><\/a><\/td>\n<td width=\"5\"><\/td>\n<td>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/content-removed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-340 noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-340 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/cebuella-thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\"><\/a><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/content-removed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-337 noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-337 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/macaca-thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\"><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\u00a0<em>Varecia variegata<\/em> (31 MB)<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\u00a0<em>Cebuella pygmaea<\/em> (32 MB)<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\u00a0<em>Macaca nemestrina<\/em> (55 MB)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n<p>These modules highlighting comparative anatomy of the sphenoethmoid junction were produced in our collaborative work with Dr. Timothy Smith, Slippery Rock University. \u00a0These modules are interactive 3D PDF files that allow visualization of the sphenoid in three perinatal primates: \u00a0a strepsirrhine (<em>Varecia<\/em>\u00a0<em>variegata<\/em>), a platyrrhine (<em>Cebuella pygmaea<\/em>), and a catarrhine (Macaca nemestrina).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Click the thumbnails to open each interactive module in a new window.<br>\n[Note: \u00a0Interactive modules require Acrobat Reader and JavaScript plugins for your internet browser. \u00a0You can also download the file by right-clicking and saving the PDF to your computer. \u00a0The large file size of these PDFs may result in delays depending on your internet connection.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Elements of the\u00a0<em>Varecia and Cebuella\u00a0<\/em> modules were extracted for our 2017 paper in the\u00a0<em>Anatomical Record:<br>\n<\/em>Smith, T.D., McMahon, M.J., Millen, M.E., Llera, C., Engel, S.M., Li, L., Bhatnagar, K.P., Burrows, A.M., Zumpano, M.P. and DeLeon, V.B., 2017. Growth and development at the sphenoethmoidal junction in perinatal primates.\u00a0<em><i>The Anatomical Record<\/i>.<\/em> <a href=\"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/ar.23630\/full\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DOI: 10.1002\/ar.23630 (LINK)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/primate-skeletal-development\/\">Primate Skeletal Development<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a style=\"font-size: 18px\" href=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/news\/2020\/macaque-hyoids-what-you-need-to-know\/\">Hyoid Growth in rhesus macaques<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"posted-on\">Posted on\u00a0August 12, 2020<\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"cat-links\">in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/category\/news\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"size-medium alignleft is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.net\/ps\/PRn0w9rhhOw\/hyoid-growth-in-rhesus-macaques\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"296\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Capture-296x300.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1077\" style=\"width:296px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Capture-296x300.png 296w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Capture-768x778.png 768w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Capture-200x203.png 200w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Capture-300x304.png 300w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Capture.png 786w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 296px) 100vw, 296px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/people\/andreana-andree-cunningham\/?preview_id=432&amp;preview_nonce=fa51f34a93&amp;_thumbnail_id=-1&amp;preview=true\">Andree&#8217;s<\/a> infographic on her recent publication &#8220;Growth and sexual dimorphism of the hyoid body in Macaca mulatta&#8221; in the <em>International Journal of Primatology<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Read her article here: <a href=\"https:\/\/rdcu.be\/b4Tr6\">https:\/\/rdcu.be\/b4Tr6<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/people\/andreana-andree-cunningham\/?preview_id=432&amp;preview_nonce=fa51f34a93&amp;_thumbnail_id=-1&amp;preview=true\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Andreana-Cunningham-200x200.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-962\" style=\"width:75px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Andreana-Cunningham-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Andreana-Cunningham-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Andreana-Cunningham-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Andreana-Cunningham-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/files\/Andreana-Cunningham.png 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-family: sans-serif;font-size: 13px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 400\">Click on Andree&#8217;s profile to learn more about her research!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mechanisms Underlying Cranial Variation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mouse Models for Cranial Dysmorphology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1136,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"featured_post":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-768","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1136"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=768"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/768\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1593,"href":"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/768\/revisions\/1593"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.clas.ufl.edu\/vdeleon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}