People

Core

Clinical Skills

Clinical & advisory

Name	Rachel Davis (nee Payne)
Position	Honoury LIVE Fellow
Extension
Email	rcdavis@rvc.ac.uk

Rachel Davis (nee Payne) graduated in Anatomy and Human Biology at Liverpool University in 1998. It was during this time that she developed her passion for primates, anatomy and evolution. Rachel went on to study orang-utan locomotion with Robin Crompton at Liverpool University, gaining a PhD in Hominoid locomotion. Rachel’s first academic post was as a lecturer in Biomechanics at Brunel University. In 2003, she joined the Structure and Motion Lab at the RVC as a Research Fellow, later becoming a Lecturer in Anatomy and Biomechanics.

Rachel‘s research has focussed on the relationships between functional anatomy, whole limb design and locomotion in a range of animals. Her other work includes research into the evolution of bipedalism through the study of living primates and studies of the biomechanics and energetics of human bilateral amputee gait.

Rachel is a dedicated educator and has taught anatomy, biomechanics and evolution across a wide range of RVC undergraduate and postgraduate courses. From 2005-2008 Rachel was Course Director of the Gateway Programme which provides students from low income families with the opportunity to attend vet school.

In 2008, Rachel acted as Interim Manager of the RVC CETL, LIVE. Here she was able to develop her skills in management and administration and spend some time getting to grips with educational research and development. Her primary interests lie in widening participation and in learning more about the attitudes of staff and students to teaching and learning, their interrelation, and their impact on other areas such as motivation, performance, and well being.

Rachel is currently working part time as an educational consultant so that she can spend time with her new family. In her current VetNet-funded project she is trying to map out the characteristics, skills and experiences of students applying to study vet medicine in the hope of improving selection procedures and designing courses better suited to a more diverse student body.

Publications and Presentations:

Journal Articles
Oral Presentations
Grants and Awards

Payne-Davis, Lawson, Parry, May (in press) Breaking down barriers to veterinary medicine: Selection, support and retention of widening participation students. KILT Excellence in Teaching Conference 2008, Annual Proceedings. Eds. Weller, Goodman, Kinchin.

Williams, Wilson, Rhodes, Andrews, Payne-Davis (in press) Functional Anatomy and Muscle Moment Arms of the Pelvic Limb of an Elite Sprinting Athlete: The Racing Greyhound (Canis familiaris). J. Anat.

Williams, Wilson, Daynes, Peckham, Payne-Davis (in press) Functional Anatomy and Muscle Moment Arms of the Thoracic Limb of an Elite Sprinting Athlete: The Racing Greyhound (Canis familiaris). J. Anat.

Wright, Marks, Payne (2008) A comparative study of physiological costs of walking in bilateral amputees. Prosthetics and Orthotics International. 32: 57-67.

Crook, Wilson, Payne (2008) Comparative anatomy of Quarter horse and Arab. J Anat. 212: 144-152.

Payne (2007) Encouraging student diversity: a new Gateway to veterinary medicine. In Practice. 29: 356-359.

Watson, Payne, Chamberlain , Jones, Sellers (2007) The energetic costs of load carrying and the evolution of bipedalism. J. Hum. Evo.

Smith, Jespers, Payne, Wilson (2007) Muscle moment arms of the Ostrich (Struthio camelus). J. Anat.

Payne (2007) Encouraging student diversity: a new Gateway to veterinary medicine. In Practice. 29: 356-359.

Williams, Payne, Wilson. (2007) Functional Specialisation of the Pelvic limb of the Hare (Lepus europeus). J Anat. 210: 472-490.

Williams, Wilson, Payne (2007) Functional Specialisation of the thoracic limb of the Hare (Lepus europeus). J Anat. 210: 491-505.

Payne, Crompton, Gunther, Isler, Savage, D’Aout (2006) Morphological analysis of the hindlimb in apes and humans. Part I: Comparative anatomy. J. Anat. 208, 709-24.

Payne, Crompton, Gunther, Isler, Savage, D’Aout .(2006) Morphological analysis of the hindlimb in apes and humans. Part II: Moment arms. J. Anat. 208, 725-42.

Smith, Wilson, Jespers, Payne (2006). Muscle architecture and functional anatomy of the pelvic limb of the Ostrich (Struthio camelus) J. Anat. 209 (6):765-79.

Ferrari, Weller, Payne (2006) A comparison of freehand 3D ultrasound. Ultrasound in Med. & Biol. 32, 797-804

Isler, Payne, Günther, Thorpe, Li, Savage , Crompton (2006) Inertial Properties of Hominoid Limb Segments. J. Anat. 201: 209-218.

Payne, Hutch, Robilliard, Wilson (2005) Functional specialisation equine pelvic limb. J. Anat. 206, 557-574.

Vereeke, Payne, D’Août, Aerts (2005) Functional analysis of the foot and ankle myology of Hylobates lar and Pan paniscus. J. Anat. 206, 453-476.

Weller, R., Payne, R.C. and Wilson, A.M. (2004) Dissecting the pogostick: Are all horse legs equivalent? Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A 137. S96.

Payne, Veenman, Wilson (2004) The role of extrinsic muscles of equine thoracic limb. J. Anat. 206, 415-556.

Visser, Marks, Fulton, Payne-Davis (2008) The Role of Hip Muscle Function on Bilateral Lower Limb Amputee Walking. ISPO Annual Scientific meeting, Chester.

Payne-Davis (2008) Breaking down barriers to the professions: RVC opens doors to students from low income families. KILT annual conference, London.

Hudson, Wilson, Corr, Payne-Davis (2008) Locomotor anatomy in the cheetah. SEB Annual Conference, Marseille.

Payne (2007) Student selection and widening access in veterinary medicine. VetNet LLN annual conference, UK.

Visser, Wilson, Payne (2007) 3D analysis of upper body movement in bilateral amputees using inertial sensors. ISB, Taipei, Taiwan.

Von Scheven, Weller, Payne (2006) Muscle architecture of the equine Longissimus dorsi muscle. SEB Annual Meeting , Canterbury, UK.

Williams, Wilson, Payne (2006) Functional specialisation of hares & greyhounds. SEB.

Pfau, Payne, Edgson, Wilson (2005) The mechanics of jumping. SEB, Spain.

Payne (2005) Comparative Anatomy and Animal Locomotion. Concord Field Station, Harvard.

Payne, Robilliard, Hutchinson (2005) The relationship of the moment arms of muscle-tendon units to limb orientation in animals. SICB, San Diego.

Payne, Robilliard, Hutchinson, Wilson (2005) Functional specialisation of equine locomotor muscles. Society for Integrative Comparative Biology. San Diego.

Payne (2005) Communicating science to the public. Royal Society Summer Exhibition seminar.

10/06/08: £15,000, VetNet LLN regional development fund, Supporting vocational students in application and selection for veterinary school.

01/10/07: £60,000, RVC PhD studentship, cheetah locomotion.

10/2007: £8900, Pet Plan Charitable Trust Pump-Priming, cruciate ligament disease

07/2007: £1000, Jim Bee Individual Teaching Prize

07/2007: £10,000, RVC Jim Bee Team Prize, You and Your Body

06/2007: £10,000, HEFCE WP funds for introducing veterinary education to inner city schools

01/2007: £4911, University of London Central Research Fund, cruciate ligament disease

01/2006: £65,000, RNOH/NHS research grant for PhD studentship, amputee gait

10/2005: £60,000, RVC PhD studentship, cruciate ligament disease

10/2005: £182,000, NERC Research Grant, evolution of carrying in hominoids

10/2005: £8,000, RVC Internal Grant Scheme, anatomy of speed and endurance in horses

10/2003: £1000, RVC Internal Grant Scheme, equine hindlimb functional anatomy

10/2002: £15000, Brunel University Research Initiative Fund

04/2000: £200, The University of Liverpool, Postgraduate Symposium Oral Presentation Prize

06/1997: £100, The University of Liverpool, Gibson-Sinclaire Scholarship