RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

AT THE COBB RESEARCH LABORATORY FOR

UNDERGRADUATES, GRADUATES, AND FACULTY
Howard University is home to an outstanding collection of 699 clinically documented human
skeletal and dental remains of DMV African Americans from 1830-1969.
Research Topic #1: Molecular and Osteological Identifications of Cobb Collection individuals
Scientific question: What is the correspondence of genotype and phenotype in the morphometrics of
the Cobb Collection individuals?
Rationale and Anticipated Impact: Little is known of the correlation of skeletal phenotype and specific
candidate genes. This study could uniquely address this relationship through the collaboration of a
number of key disciplinary experts
Research Topic #2: Biomolecular Paleopathology of Cobb Collection individuals
Scientific question: What is the skeletal and molecular evidence of disease pathology in the Cobb
Collection individuals?
Rationale and Anticipated Impact: Infectious diseases that leave a record in the skeletal biology have
not been studied intensively in African Americans, nor tied to their historical record of exposure. This
study would be a significant contribution to understanding the past infectious disease exposure
histories of East Coast African Americans by providing evidence-based data contextualized by
population history
Research Topic #3: Health of the mid-19th Century to mid-20th Century African American
population as revealed by Cobb Collection individuals
Scientific question: What were the major health constraints evident in The Cobb Collection individuals;
to what extent did they reflect health inequities prevalent during slavery; and how might the health
profiles have shifted over 100 years?
Rationale and Anticipated Impact: This research would greatly expand the current parameters of
health disparities research and provide a unique integrated biosocial analysis and interpretation. This
would be trend-setting among studies of diseases of public health significance.
Research Topic #4: Documenting the lives of the African Americans of The Cobb Collection
Rationale and Anticipated Impact: Provide visual and written documentation of this collection,
highlights in the life of Professor Cobb, and detail the interdisciplinary research being done on the
collected skeletons at Howard University. This project has great potential to integrate the Arts and
Humanities into the larger university-wide project.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT US AT: cobbresearchlab@gmail.com or visit
our website: www.cobbresearchlab.com
W. MONTAGUE COBB RESEARCH LABORATORY, 232 DOUGLASS HALL, HOWARD
UNIVERSITY, WASHINGTON, DC 20059 (Dr. Fatimah Jackson, Director and Curator, Mr.
Christopher Cross, Assistant Curator)