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Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Felice Lab, University College London

Working as the named postdoctoral researcher on a Leverhulme Trust project entitled 'The evolution of the cervical spine in birds'. The project combines 3D geometric morphometrics and phylogenetic comparative modelling to determine how and when the neck became such a key feature of avian anatomy.

• High-density 3D geometric morphometrics
• Phylogenetic modelling/comparative methods
• micro-CT scanning and reconstruction
• Undergraduate teaching
• MRes student supervision

Medical Writer

Lucid Group (medical communications)

At Lucid Group I leveraged my skills in technical writing and heuristic literature searching to produce a range of media to inform and educate healthcare professionals about the latest pharmaceutical products.

• Project management
• Teamwork
• Independent working
• Delivering multiple projects on tight deadlines

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Evolutionary Morphology and Biomechanics Group, University of Liverpool

The Evolutionary Morphology and Biomechanics lab at the University of Liverpool utilize the latest techniques to understand how the vertebrate body functions and to understand those functions in an evolutionary context. As such the lab sits at the interface between health sciences and evolutionary studies of motion.

• Wet lab work (avian muscle dissection)
• Phylogenetic comparative methods
• Scientific writing
• Supervision of undergraduate students

PhD candidate

Evolutionary Morphology and Biomechanics Group, University of Liverpool

During my PhD (awarded March 2020, minor corrections) I worked with Karl Bates and Peter Falkingham to investigate the drivers of morphofunctional variation in the neck of extant avians. I employed a wide variety of techniques to understand the variation in avian cervical regionalisation, osteology and myology.

• CT scanning & reconstruction
• Wet lab work (avian muscle dissection)
• Phylogenetic comparative methods
• Financial organisation of associated funding

The neck as a keystone structure in avian macroevolution and mosaicism

BMC Biology

Marek, R. D., & Felice, R. N. (2023). The neck as a keystone structure in avian macroevolution and mosaicism. BMC biology, 21(1), 216.

A surrogate forelimb: Evolution, function and development of the avian cervical spine

Journal of Morphology

Marek, R. D. (2023). A surrogate forelimb: Evolution, function and development of the avian cervical spine. Journal of Morphology, 284(10), e21638.

Break-neck pace: analysing the interplay between integration and evolutionary rate in avian neck evolution

Invited speaker, ICVM 2023 (Cairns, Australia)

Decoupling body shape and mass distribution in birds and their dinosaurian ancestors

Nature Communications

Macaulay, S., Hoehfurtner, T., Cross, S. R., Marek, R. D., Hutchinson, J. R., Schachner, E. R., ... & Bates, K. T. (2023). Decoupling body shape and mass distribution in birds and their dinosaurian ancestors. Nature communications, 14(1), 1575.

Grabbing evolution by the throat: the role of neck-forelimb integration in avian evolution

Oral presentation, SVP 2022 (Toronto, Canada)

Neck-forelimb integration drives cervical morphological evolution in extant avians

Oral presentation, SVPCA (London, UK)

Evolutionary versatility of the avian neck

Proceedings of the Royal Society B

Marek, R. D., Falkingham, P. L., Benson, R. B., Gardiner, J. D., Maddox, T. W., & Bates, K. T. (2021). Evolutionary versatility of the avian neck. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 288(1946), 20203150.

The Surrogate arm: assessing factors influencing vertebral morphology in the avian cervical spine

Oral presentation, SVP (Brisbane, Australia)

The Surrogate arm: assessing factors influencing vertebral morphology in the avian cervical spine

Oral presentation, ICVM 2019 (Prague, Czech Republic)

An everyday tool: how the avian neck has adapted to (almost) every situation

Oral presentation, SVPCA 2018 (Manchester, UK)

The surrogate arm: analysing the role of regionalisation in the variation of the avian neck

Oral presentation, SEB 2018 (Florence, Italy)

The surrogate arm: analysing the role of regionalisation in the variation of the avian neck

Lightning talk, SICB Division of Vertebrate Morphology 2018 (London, UK)

Grabbing evolution by the throat: Functional regionalisation of the avian cervical column

Poster presentation, SVP 2017 (Calgary, Canada)

Grabbing evolution by the throat: Functional regionalisation of the avian cervical column

Poster presentation, EAVP 2017 (Munich, Germany)

Dental ontogeny and replacement in Pliosauridae

Royal Society Open Science

Sassoon, J., Foffa, D., & Marek, R. (2015). Dental ontogeny and replacement in Pliosauridae. Royal Society open science, 2(11), 150384.

Fossil Focus: Ichthyosaurs

Palaeontology Online

Marek, R. (2015). Fossil focus: ichthyosaurs. Palaeontol. Online, 5, 8.

The skull and endocranium of a Lower Jurassic ichthyosaur based on digital reconstructions

Palaeontology

Marek, R. D., Moon, B. C., Williams, M., & Benton, M. J. (2015). The skull and endocranium of a Lower Jurassic ichthyosaur based on digital reconstructions. Palaeontology, 58(4), 723-742.

MSci

University of Bristol, UK

Palaeontology

PhD

University of Liverpool, UK

Musculoskeletal Biology

Bogue Fellowship Award 2022

UCL

£4,700. For travel to the USA and Canada for a [data collection trip](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lifesciences-faculty/news/2023/may/bogue-fellowship-report-ryan-marek)

Leverhulme Trust Research Project Grant

Leverhulme Trust

£183,362. Named postdoc on grant entitled 'The evolution of the cervical spine in birds'

ACCE Publication Award

ACCE

~£4,000 (3 months salary). Awarded for research excellence during a PhD, allowing further time to write manuscripts

University College London

• MBBS Year 1 - Thorax & Abdomen clinical anatomy (demonstrating)
• SSC Integrated anatomy (practical teaching)
• ANAT0001 - Intro to Anatomy and Development (lecturing)
• UCL Arena Teaching courses
• HEA Associate Fellowship (accreditation)

University College London, University of Liverpool

• Anna Stuart (MRes): 'The role of integration and vertebral morphology in psittaciform tripedal locomotion' (paper in prep.).
• Shay Glasgow (BSc): 'Stretching Evolution: Regionalisation and Neck Elongation in Plesiosaurs'.