Dem Bones: curating the anatomical collection at San Francisco State University

San Francisco State University houses a human anatomical collection of more than 1,500 specimens. This collection represents a diverse range of skeletal elements and invaluable specimens. In modern times, acquiring this volume and breadth of human remains is largely unattainable for even the most prestigious institutions. Considering the immense value of this collection, it is imperative that the proper steps are taken to ensure its longevity and prosperity as a research and teaching collection. This thesis project attempts to tackle the first of these steps - that of curating the skeletal specimens of the human anatomical collection at San Francisco State University. The aim of this project was to curate a virtual database of San Francisco State’s human anatomy collection that could be utilized not only as an inventory account, but also as an efficient means of both short and long term collections assessment and care. The goals of this project were threefold: 1. To create a digital inventory database of the human skeletal collection that can be accessed by students and faculty for means of collections care, training, and research, 2. To analyze the pathological specimens of the skeletal collection and record these analyses in the digital database, and 3. To develop a cohesive cataloging system to track and label all skeletal specimens, and manually label all specimens accordingly to create a unified collection. However, the overarching aims of this project are not limited to these products. Rather, this project is merely the first step of a much larger opportunity to curate a professional anatomical collection at San Francisco State University.