Josep Maria Potau Ginés

Professor Titular d’Universitat Unitat d’Anatomia i Embriologia Humana

ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3387-8760
ID Researcher: L-1037-2016
Scopus: 6603320748
Email: jpotau@ub.edu

Short biography

In 1993 we began our research activity as Associate Professor of the Department of Morphological Sciences at the University of Barcelona, joining us in the line of research “Ocular Morphology”, directed by Dr. Jesus Costa Villa. In this line we carried out our Doctoral Thesis in 1997 and participated in the publication of 26 scientific articles and in two funded projects. In 2007, as a Full Professor of the Unit of Human Anatomy and Embryology of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Barcelona, ​​​​we decided to create our own line of research “Evolutionary and Comparative Anatomy”, which we are currently leading. The research carried out in this line has allowed the publication of several articles in journals such as the Journal of Human Evolution, Annals of Anatomy, the American Journal of Biological Anthropology or the American Journal of Primatology, among others, as well as the participation in four funded projects and the publication of five books in international publishers.

Research interests

In our research in Evolutionary and Comparative Anatomy, we are studying the anatomical adaptations of the musculoskeletal system of the forelimb of primates to the different types of locomotion developed by representatives of this animal order. Our main lines of research are the study of the external morphology of the bones of the forelimb using geometric morphometry in 2D and 3D, the qualitative and quantitative anatomical study of the ligaments of the main joint complexes of the forelimb and the anatomical study of the main muscles of the forelimb. The muscle study is also carried out from a functional point of view, analyzing the length of the muscle fascicles, the physiological cross-sectional areas and the expression patterns of the myosin heavy chain isoforms with RT-qPCR.

Selected publications

  • Potau JM, Pastor JF, de Paz FJ, Barbosa M, Gómez M, de Diego M, Casado A. 2022. Comparative anatomy of the ligaments and muscles of the radiocarpal joint in chimpanzees and humans. American Journal of Biological Anthropology. DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24490.

  • Casado A, Avià Y, Llorente M, Riba D, Pastor JF, Potau JM. 2021. Effects of captivity on the morphology of the insertion sites of the palmar radiocarpal ligaments in hominoid primates. Animals. DOI: 10.3390/ani11071856.

  • Gómez M, Casado A, de Diego M, Arias-Martorell J, Pastor JF, Potau JM. 2020. Quantitative shape analysis of the deltoid tuberosity of modern humans (Homo sapiens) and common chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Annals of Anatomy-Anatomischer Anzeiger. DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2020.151505.

  • Casado A, Punsola V, Gómez M, de Diego M, Barbosa M, de Paz, FJ, Pastor JF, Potau JM. 2019. Three-dimensional geometric morphometric analysis of the distal radius insertion sites of the palmar radiocarpal ligaments in hominoid primates. American Journal of Physical Anthropology. DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23885.

  • Potau JM, Casado A, de Diego M, Ciurana N, Arias-Martorell J, Bello-Hellegouarch G, Barbosa M, de Paz FJ, Pastor JF, Pérez-Pérez A. 2018. Structural and molecular study of the supraspinatus muscle of modern humans (Homo sapiens) and common chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). American Journal of Physical Anthropology. DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23490.

Selected projects

  • Referència: CGL2014-52611-C2-2-P. Títol: Adaptations of the musculoskeletal system of the anterior limb of primates to different types of locomotion: evolutionary and functional implications. IP: Josep Maria Potau Ginés. Entitat finançadora: Ministeri d’Economia i Competitivitat. Durada: 01/01/2015 – 31/12/2017. Finançament rebut: 60.000 €.

  • Referència: CGL2011-22999. Títol: Measurement of the morphological change rate in relation to climate change: evolutionary models in primates and phylogenetic implications. IP: Alejandro Martínez Pérez-Pérez. Entitat finançadora: Ministeri de Ciència i Innovació. Durada: 01/01/2012 – 31/12/2014. Finançament rebut: 60.000 €.

  • Referència: CGL2010-15340. Títol: Adaptation and environment: anatomical and ecological models of the dentition and the skeleton in cercopithecoid, hominoid primates and hunter-gatherers human populations. IP: Alejandro Martínez Pérez-Pérez. Entitat finançadora: Ministeri de Ciència i Tecnologia. Durada: 01/01/2011 – 31/12/2011. Finançament rebut: 9.000 €.

  • Referència: CGL2007-60802/BTE. Títol: Evolutionary models of temporal periodicity in Hominids: climatic and ecological fluctuations and habitat fragmentation as mechanisms of speciation and diversification. IP: Alejandro Martínez Pérez-Pérez. Entitat finançadora: Ministeri de Ciència i Tecnologia. Durada: 01/01/2008 – 31/12/2010. Finançament rebut: 100.000 €.

Publications signed with affiliation to the IAUB

  • Casado A, Avià Y, Llorente M, Riba D, Pastor JF, Potau JM. 2021. Effects of captivity on the morphology of the insertion sites of the palmar radiocarpal ligaments in hominoid primates. Animals. DOI: 10.3390/ani11071856.

  • Potau JM, Pastor JF, de Paz FJ, Barbosa M, Gómez M, de Diego M, Casado A. 2022. Comparative anatomy of the ligaments and muscles of the radiocarpal joint in chimpanzees and humans. American Journal of Biological Anthropology. DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24490.

  • Gómez M, Casado A, de Diego M, Pastor JF, Potau JM. 2022. Anatomical and molecular analyses of the deltoid muscle in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and modern humans (Homo sapiens): similarities and differences due to the uses of the upper extremity. American Journal of Primatology. Accepted in press.

  • Ciurana N, Artells R, Casado A, Potau JM. 2022. mRNA expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms in the sphenomandibularis portion of the temporalis muscle. International Journal of Morphology. Accepted in press.

  • Rodríguez P, Casado A, Potau JM. 2022. Quantitative anatomical analysis of the carpal tunnel in women and men. Annals of Anatomy-Anatomischer Anzeiger. Accepted in press.

  • Casado A, Cuesta-Torralvo E, Pastor JF, de Diego M, Gómez M, Ciurana N, Potau JM. 2022. 3D geometric morphometric analysis of the distal radius insertion sites of the palmar radiocarpal ligaments indicates a relationship between wrist anatomy and unique locomotor behavior in hylobatids. American Journal of Biological Anthropology. In revision.

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