PD Dr.med.PhD F.Rühli

Our broad transdisciplinary research interests and professional expertise include work related to evolutionary (bio-) medicine and paleopathology, especially the aspects of human morphological variability and (micro-) evolution of human pathology / pathogens.

Recent highlights of such collaborative work include

- First full-body clinical MRI of high quality of ancient mummy tissue
(up to 1500 BC) without rehydration (Rühli et al., JAMA, 2007)

- First use of evidence-based research concept in paleopathology (Rühli  and Gill-Robinson, Eds., Cambridge University Press, forthcoming)

- Radiological proof for the Iceman’s cause of death
(Pernter et al., J Archeol Sci, 2007)

- First ever study on secular trends in osseous spine morphology in industrial times only (Rühli and Henneberg, Eur Spine J, 2004)

- First CT-guided biopsy of an ancient mummy
(Rühli et al., Am J Phys Anthropol, 2002)

Swiss Mummy Project

The aim of this transdisciplinary research unit

(co-head: Dr T. Böni, Orthopedic University Clinic Balgrist) is the paleopathological minimal and non-invasive examination of human mummies primarily from various Swiss collections. Main methods used include conventional X-ray, endoscopy, CT (incl. 2D- / 3D-post processing), MRI, light and electron microscopy as well as “meta-analysis” of literature on mummies. Besides individual anatomical variants and pathologies, peri-mortem changes and especially post-mortem alterations such as the impact of artificial mummification on a corpse’s radio-anatomical appearance, are investigated. International collaborations include the Institute for mummies and the Iceman Bozen (PD Zink), the Mannheim Mummy Project (Reiss-Engelhorn-Museum, Dr Rosendahl), Siemens Medical Solutions (Dr Speier) and American University Cairo (Prof Ikram).

Results Computed Tomography -Examination of King Tutankamun:

http://guardians.net/hawass/press_release_tutankhamun_ct_scan_results.htm 

Clinical Paleopathology Team

Our multidisciplinary research unit deals with clinical perspectives of historic human remains (co-located at the Orthopedic University Clinic Balgrist and the Institute for the History of Medicine, University of Zurich). Our collection includes a large human skeletal series from the 10th century AD and the Galler collection, part 2 (ca. 1500 macerated bone specimens of a 19th/20th cent. AD pathology reference series; Rühli et al., Am J Phys Anthropol, 2003). State- of –the art methods such as e.g. Micro-CT or pQCT are applied to assess bone microarchitecture. Furthermore, we collaborate internationally e.g. with the Institute of Anthropology, University of Mainz, Germany (Prof Alt) or the Arthritis Centre of Northeast Ohio, USA (Prof Rothschild).

The Biological Standard of Living in Switzerland (1865-present)

Correlative socio-economic, anthropometric and metabolic assessment of historic and recent data of Swiss Army conscripts. Main researcher: Prof Woitek, Institute for Empirical Research in Economics University of Zurich.

Clinical Anatomy

Variation and microevolution of osseous dimensions of a.o. the human spine (Collaboration e.g., with the Anatomical Sciences University of Adelaide (Prof Henneberg) and Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Royal Adelaide Hospital (Dr. Solomon)

Main funding bodies:

Swiss National Science Foundation

Stftung Mercator Schweiz

Siemens Healthcare Systems Germany

Forschungskredit University of Zurich

Winkelried-Fund Zürich

Helen-Bieber-Grant University of Zurich

Stiftung für Wissenschaftliche Forschung Universtität Zürich,

Cogito Foundation

Deutsche Forschungs Gemeinschaft (DFG)

Göhner Stiftung

G+B Schwyzer Stiftung

 Research Database of the University