Jessica Walker, PhD

Dr. Jessica Walker is an Assistant Professor of Anatomy in the D'Youville University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She brings more than eight years of experience in cadaveric dissection–based anatomy education and interdisciplinary health sciences instruction. Dr. Walker earned her Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh, where her work emphasized human anatomy, biological anthropology, and bioarchaeology. Dr. Walker’s experience as an educator includes roles in multiple health care programs, where she taught anatomy and physiopathology courses.

At D’Youville, Dr. Walker teaches anatomy alongside her colleagues with an emphasis on clinically relevant and student-centered learning. Her teaching philosophy focuses on active learning, problem-solving, and the integration of foundational science concepts with clinical applications. She is particularly passionate about cadaveric anatomy education and creating engaging learning environments that encourage critical thinking, collaboration, and lifelong learning among future healthcare professionals. 

Dr. Walker’s research interests include anatomical variation, musculoskeletal pathology, historical epidemiology, bioarchaeology, and community health research.

• PhD, Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh, 2020
• BA, Anthropology, East Carolina University, 2007

• Northeast College of Health Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award, 2023
• Elizabeth Baranger Teaching Award Nominee, 2015

• Nutrition and bone disease
• Osteoporosis
•  Life Course Health
• Skeletal evidence for behavior and health
• Skeletal growth and development
• Functional anatomy
• Musculoskeletal pathology
• Anatomical variation
• Historical Epidemiology
• Sociocultural experiences of marginalized populations

2018 Judd, M., Walker, J., Hanks, B., Miller, A.V., Rajev, D., and Epimakhov, A. Life in the fast lane: settled pastoralism in the Central Eurasian steppes. American Journal of Human Biology. 30(4). doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23129.

2022 Maaranen, N., Walker, J., and Sołtysiak, A. Societal segmentation and early urbanism in Mesopotamia: biological distance analysis from Tell Brak using dental morphology. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 67. doi: 10.1016/j.jaa.2022.101421.

2024 Maaranen, N., Walker, J., and Sołtysiak, A. Early Bronze Age population substructure in the Khabur basin: preliminary evidence from Tell Brak, Tell Arbid and Tell Barri (Syria). Anthropologica et Præhistorica. 132. doi: 10.57937/ap.2023.004. 

Book Chapters

2018 Perry, M. and Walker, J. The Nabataean Way of Death on Petra’s North Ridge. In C. Eger and M. Mackensen (Eds.), Death and Burial in the Roman to Islamic Near East. (p. 121-137). Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag. 

2026 Walker, J and Perry, M. Skeletal Biology of the Khirbet Qazone Cemetery. In Konstantinos Politis (ed.), The Khirbet Qazone Cemetery. (publication forthcoming).