
PhD. Edwin Cadena
Geologist-Vertebrate paleontologist
edwin.cadena@urosario.edu.co
Current positions
Associate Professor, Board direction Earth System Science Program
Faculty of Natural Sciences
Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
https://www.urosario.edu.co/facultad-ciencias-naturales/Inicio/
Research Associate
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Education
Postdoctoral Fellow. Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation-Senckenberg Museum, Germany 2012-2015
PhD in Geology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA. 2012
MSc in Geology. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. 2009
BSc in Geology. Universidad Industrial de Santander - Bucaramanga, Colombia. 2001
Research interests
Understanding the evolution of vertebrates in the tropical region of South America, establishing the events involved in their current diversity and geographical distribution. Additionally, I am interested in the exploration of soft-tissue and biomolecules preservation in the fossil record, using turtles as case of study. Topics of my research include systematics, phylogeny (morphology and molecular), paleobiogeography, paleoecology, bone histology, and molecular paleontology. The combination of traditional paleontology with molecular paleontology, including paleogenomics and paleoproteomics allows to approach biological and evolutionary events and questions from a broader perspective, a field that is just starting.
Current projects
Origin and evolution of Neotropical biodiversity. This is a project leaded by the Center for Tropical Paleoecology and Archeology of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (Panama). I have worked in this project initially as an intership and currently as associate researcher. Participating in fieldwork, collection and preparation of fossils, biostratigraphy, paleontological study of the fossils, public and scientific talks and meetings, as well as documentaries, as Titanoboa Monster Snake, produced by Smithsonian Chanel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI14qp4KvGo
Geologist-Vertebrate paleontologist
edwin.cadena@urosario.edu.co
Current positions
Associate Professor, Board direction Earth System Science Program
Faculty of Natural Sciences
Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
https://www.urosario.edu.co/facultad-ciencias-naturales/Inicio/
Research Associate
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Education
Postdoctoral Fellow. Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation-Senckenberg Museum, Germany 2012-2015
PhD in Geology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA. 2012
MSc in Geology. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. 2009
BSc in Geology. Universidad Industrial de Santander - Bucaramanga, Colombia. 2001
Research interests
Understanding the evolution of vertebrates in the tropical region of South America, establishing the events involved in their current diversity and geographical distribution. Additionally, I am interested in the exploration of soft-tissue and biomolecules preservation in the fossil record, using turtles as case of study. Topics of my research include systematics, phylogeny (morphology and molecular), paleobiogeography, paleoecology, bone histology, and molecular paleontology. The combination of traditional paleontology with molecular paleontology, including paleogenomics and paleoproteomics allows to approach biological and evolutionary events and questions from a broader perspective, a field that is just starting.
Current projects
Origin and evolution of Neotropical biodiversity. This is a project leaded by the Center for Tropical Paleoecology and Archeology of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (Panama). I have worked in this project initially as an intership and currently as associate researcher. Participating in fieldwork, collection and preparation of fossils, biostratigraphy, paleontological study of the fossils, public and scientific talks and meetings, as well as documentaries, as Titanoboa Monster Snake, produced by Smithsonian Chanel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI14qp4KvGo

Paleo-Neo Biodiversity. Pleistocene fossil vertebrates from Pubenza, Cundinamarca; paleobiogeographical, evolutionary and paleoproteomics implications.

Molecular Paleontology Turtles. Exploring the potential preservation of original organic biomolecules in osteocytes and blood vessels-like (OBv-Like) from Gobi Desert (Mongolia), Messel Pit (Germany) and La Venta (Colombia) turtles, using mass spectrometry and antibody-phase techniques

Miocene Neotropical Turtles. New fossil turtles from La Venta, La Victoria and Villavieja Formations, Colombia; their importance for understanding the origin and evolution of extant threatened South American species