Morpho - Kimberleigh Tommy
Kimberleigh Tommy: Biological Anthropologist; PhD student at the Human Variation and Identification Research Unit, School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand; Curator at Maropeng-Cradle of Humankind; L’Oreal-UNESCO for Women in Science Awardee; Mail and Guardian 200 Young South Africans; InspiringFifty Woman in Science and Technology; #biologicalanthropology #bioanth #trabecularbone #teamtrabeculae #fossils #evolution #hominin
Download Kimberleigh's poster for FREE along with the other 45+ SuperScientists! And don’t miss Kim’s Top Tip at the bottom of the page, it’s one we could all learn from.
Her Research: My research focuses on the evolution of upright walking and how we can apply this knowledge to improve our understanding of how our modern lifestyles affect our bones. If you’ve ever injured your knee or sprained your ankle you know how much it hurts and how difficult it becomes to get around on it. But if these joints so important to us being able to move then why are they so prone to injury, pain and diseases like osteoarthritis?
My research focus is on answering this important question by looking at the trabecular or spongey bone of the different joints in the body, specifically in the pelvis and lower limb. Bone is alive and constantly changes, it is so smart that it remodels itself to be the best possible support system for our bodies and what we need them to do. I call trabecular bone our bone diary because within trabecular bone there are unique patterns that reflect how our joints are loaded, which is another way of saying how they pulled, pushed, and stressed, as we move throughout our lives.
To begin to understand why some joints are so prone to injury, disease and wear and tear, I look at the trabecular patterns across different bones and different species (living apes and fossil hominins from Africa and abroad). This is important in reconstructing our understanding of the past and applying these findings to human health in the present.
Her Superpowers: I read 'bone diaries' and use them to reconstruct and understand how our ancient hominin ancestors came to walk on two legs and what it means for human health today. These 'bone diaries' are tiny spheres of trabecular or spongey bone taken from different regions of the skeleton in living species such as our own and our great-ape cousins (orangutans, gorillas, bonobos and chimpanzees) and extinct fossil hominins from South Africa and beyond.
I use microcomputed tomography (μCT) to build 3-D images of these bone balls. This is similar to CAT scans used in medical imaging of a person’s brain or internal organs. To see inside the bone balls, X-rays are shot through the bone sample to take a picture and then the sample is rotated a tiny bit and another picture is taken. We do this hundreds of times and use a computer to put the pictures together into a 3-D image of the network of bone like what you see on my card.
Interestingly a South African physicist, Allan M. Cormack, helped invent CAT (computer assisted tomography) scanning technology by figuring out the tricky maths of how to reconstruct the images created in CAT scanning, and he shared the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Scientific Strengths: Science communication, grant writing, collaborations, project management, data analysis.
Her Heroes: My greatest hero is my mother, Sharon Tommy, she has nurtured my curiosity and love of science from a very early age. She taught me to stay true to myself, that my voice was important and she showed me that I didn't need to change to fit in.
I have a really strong community that surrounds me including my family, friends, former teachers, my communities of birth in Newclare, Westbury and Bosmont,(Gauteng) and beyond. I am grateful for all of these people who have shaped me with tenderness and absolute belief in my abilities and potential.
My scientific heroes are the people I am fortunate to work with, my supervisors (both past and present) Dr Bernhard Zipfel, Dr Job Kibii, Prof Kristian Carlson and Prof Lynne Schepartz. They have been instrumental to my growth and have supported me unconditionally and they are all brilliant scientists. I have also been mentored and uplifted by some truly phenomenal women Dr Gaokgatlhe Mirriam Tawane, Dr Dipuo Winnie Kgotleng, Dr Nonhlanhla Vilakazi, Nomawethu Hlazo, Robyn Humphreys, Pamela Akuku, Aviwe Matiwane and Nompumelelo Maringa. They have provided safe spaces for so many young women of colour within this field which has been so important for my mental health and wellbeing. They are also incredible scientists who have carved their own paths and I am privileged to learn with and from them.
That Science Spark: I loved watching documentaries and shows about Egypt as a child, I was fascinated by this entire complex world and the people that existed and thrived before us. There wasn't a particular moment, but meeting my future supervisor, Dr Job Kibii, during the final year of my undergrad set me on the path to pursuing palaeoanthropology as a career.
What do you need to succeed (ranked in order)? Curiosity, hard work, creativity and communication. Ask those questions, wonder why!
Her Top Tip: Never let anyone tell you what you can and can’t achieve or what is within or beyond your reach. Don’t feel like you need to change who you are to fit in or that who you are doesn't fit the image of a scientist. Science thrives when it is diverse, we need new voices, different perspectives, different questions and different minds. You deserve to be where you are, be unapologetic about who you are in every space you choose to occupy.
Connect: Twitter @kimtommy92
In isiZulu
Kimberleigh Tommy: Isazi se-Biological Anthropologist; Umfundi we-PhD oPhikweni Lwezocwaningo Lokuhlukahluka Kokuhlonza Kwabantu, eSikoleni Sesayensi Ye-Anatomical, i-Faculty of Health Sciences, eNyuvesi yase-Witwatersrand; Umlondolozi e-Maropeng-Cradle of Humankind; Indondo ye-L’Oreal-UNESCO Yabesifazane Kwezesayensi; Imeyili Nonakekeli Intsha yaseNingizimu Afrika engama-200; Ukukhuthaza Abesifazane Abangamashumi amahlanu Kwesayensi Nobuchwepheshe; #biologicalanthropology #bioanth #trabecularbone #teamtrabeculae #fossils #evolution #hominin
Landa iphosta ka-Kimberleigh MAHHALA kanye nabanye abangama-45+ SuperScientists! Futhi ungaphuthelwa Ithiphu Ephezulu kaKim ezansi kwekhasi, ingesinye esingafunda kuso sonke.
Ucwaningo Lwakhe: Ucwaningo lwami lugxile ekuguqukeni kokuhamba ubuqotho nokuthi singalusebenzisa kanjani lolu lwazi ukuze sithuthukise ukuqonda kwethu ukuthi izindlela zethu zokuphila zesimanje ziwathinta kanjani amathambo ethu. Uma uke walimala edolweni noma wakruneka iqakala uyazi ukuthi libuhlungu kangakanani nokuthi kuba nzima kangakanani ukuhamba kulo. Kodwa uma la malungu ebaluleke kangaka kithi ukuthi sikwazi ukunyakaza kungani-ke ethambekele ekulimaleni, ebuhlungu nasezifweni ezifana ne-osteoarthritis?
Ucwaningo lwami lugxile ekuphenduleni lo mbuzo obalulekile ngokubheka ithambo le-trabecular noma le-spongey lamalunga ahlukene emzimbeni, ikakhulukazi ku-pelvis kanye nomlenze ophansi. Ithambo liyaphila futhi lihlala lishintsha, lihlakaniphe kangangokuba liyazilungisa kabusha libe uhlelo olungcono kakhulu lokusekela imizimba yethu kanye nalokho esikudingayo ukuba ikwenze. Ngibiza ithambo le-trabecular idayari yethu yamathambo ngoba ngaphakathi kwethambo le-trabecular kukhona amaphethini ayingqayizivele abonisa ukuthi amalunga ethu alayishwa kanjani, okungenye indlela yokusho ukuthi badonsa kanjani, baphusha, futhi bacindezelekile, njengoba sihamba phakathi nokuphila kwethu.
Ukuze ngiqale ukuqonda ukuthi kungani amanye amalunga ethambekele ekubeni nokulimala, izifo kanye nokuguga, ngibheka amaphethini e-trabecular emathanjeni ahlukene kanye nezinhlobo ezahlukene (izinkawu eziphilayo kanye nama-fossil hominins avela e-Afrika naphesheya). Lokhu kubalulekile ekwakhiweni kabusha kokuqonda kwethu okwedlule nokusebenzisa lokhu okutholakele empilweni yabantu esikhathini samanje.
Amandla Akhe Amandla: Ngafunda 'iidayari yamathambo' futhi ngiyisebenzisela ukwakha kabusha futhi ngiqonde ukuthi okhokho bethu basendulo be-hominin bafika kanjani behamba ngemilenze emibili nokuthi kusho ukuthini empilweni yabantu namuhla. Lezi 'diary zamathambo' ziyizindilinga ezincane zethambo le-trabecular noma le-spongey elithathwe ezindaweni ezahlukene zamathambo ezilwaneni eziphilayo ezifana nezathu kanye nabazala bethu bezinkawu ezinkulu (ama-orangutan, ama-gorilla, ama-bonobos nezimfene) kanye nama-fossil hominins angasekho aseNingizimu Afrika kanye ngale.
Ngisebenzisa i-microcomputed tomography (μCT) ukwakha izithombe ezingu-3-D zalawa mabhola amathambo. Lokhu kufana nezikena zeCAT ezisetshenziswa ezithombeni zezokwelapha zobuchopho bomuntu noma izitho zangaphakathi. Ukuze ubone ngaphakathi kwamabhola amathambo, ama-X-reyi athathwa ngesampula yethambo ukuze kuthathwe isithombe bese isampula lizungeziswa kancane bese kuthathwa esinye isithombe. Senza lokhu izikhathi ezingamakhulu futhi sisebenzisa ikhompuyutha ukuze sihlanganise izithombe zibe isithombe esingu-3-D senethiwekhi yethambo njengalokhu okubona ekhadini lami.
Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi isazi sefiziksi saseNingizimu Afrika, u-Allan M. Cormack, wasiza ekusunguleni ubuchwepheshe bokuskena be-CAT (i-computer assisted tomography) ngokuthola izibalo ezikhohlisayo zokuthi zingakhiwa kanjani kabusha izithombe ezidalwe ekuhlolweni kwe-CAT, futhi wabelana ngendondo ye-Nobel kuPhysiology noma Medicine yango-1979.
Amandla Esayensi: Ukuxhumana kwesayensi, ukubhala kwezibonelelo, ukusebenzisana, ukuphathwa kwephrojekthi, ukuhlaziywa kwedatha.
Amaqhawe Akhe: Iqhawe lami elikhulu ngumama, uSharon Tommy, uye wakhulisa ilukuluku nothando lwesayensi kusukela ngisemncane kakhulu. Wangifundisa ukwethembeka kimi, ukuthi izwi lami libalulekile futhi wangibonisa ukuthi kwakungadingeki ngishintshe ukuze ngingene.
Nginomphakathi oqinile ongizungezile ohlanganisa umndeni wami, abangani, othisha bakudala, imiphakathi engazalelwa kuyo eNewclare, eWestbury naseBosmont, (Gauteng) nangale kwayo. Ngibonga bonke laba bantu abangilolonge ngesisa nokukholelwa ngokuphelele emakhonweni ami kanye namandla ami.
Amaqhawe ami esayensi ngabantu enginenhlanhla yokusebenza nabo, abaphathi bami (abakudala nabamanje) uDkt Bernhard Zipfel, uDkt Job Kibii, uProf Kristian Carlson kanye noProf Lynne Schepartz. Babe nesandla ekukhuleni kwami futhi bangisekele ngokungenamibandela futhi bonke bangososayensi abakhaliphile. Ngiphinde ngalulekwa ngaphinde ngakhuthazwa abesifazane abathile abamangalisayo uDkt Gaokgatlhe Mirriam Tawane, Dkt Dipuo Winnie Kgotleng, Dkt Nonhlanhla Vilakazi, Nomawethu Hlazo, Robyn Humphreys, Pamela Akuku, Aviwe Matiwane noNompumelelo Maringa. Banikeze izikhala eziphephile zabesifazane abaningi abasebasha abanombala kulo mkhakha obaluleke kakhulu empilweni yami yengqondo kanye nempilo. Futhi bangososayensi abamangalisayo abazizambele izindlela zabo futhi nginelungelo lokufunda ngabo futhi ngivela kubo.
That Science Spark: Ngangikuthanda ukubuka amadokhumentari nezinhlelo ezikhuluma nge-Egypt ngiseyingane, ngangithatheka ngalo lonke izwe eliyinkimbinkimbi nabantu ababekhona nabachuma ngaphambi kwethu. Akubanga khona nomzuzu othize, kodwa ukuhlangana nomphathi wami wesikhathi esizayo, uDkt Job Kibii, ngonyaka wokugcina we-undergraduate yami kwangibeka endleleni yokuphishekela i-palaeoanthropology njengomsebenzi.
Yini oyidingayo ukuze uphumelele (ukleliswe ngokulandelana)? Ilukuluku, ukusebenza kanzima, ubuhlakani nokuxhumana. Buza leyo mibuzo, uzibuze ukuthi kungani!
Ithiphu Yakhe Ephezulu: Ungalokothi uvumele noma ubani ukuthi akutshele lokho ongakwazi ukukufeza noma ongakwazi ukukwenza noma okungaphakathi noma ongaphezu kwamandla akho. Ungabi nomuzwa wokuthi udinga ukushintsha ukuthi ungubani ukuze ulingane noma ukuthi lokho oyikho akufani nesithombe sikasosayensi. Isayensi iyachuma uma ihlukene, sidinga amazwi amasha, imibono ehlukene, imibuzo ehlukene kanye nezingqondo ezahlukene. Ufanele ukuba lapho ukhona, ungaxolisi ngokuthi ungubani kuyo yonke indawo okhetha ukuhlala kuyo.
Xhuma: Twitter @kimtommy92