Melissa Cheyney is a medical anthropologist and licensed midwife. She began her studies in anthropology as a Master's student in bioarchaeology with a focus on health and disease patterns in classical antiquity. As Melissa entered her doctoral program, her focus began to shift to the health of living populations. While working on her Ph.D. at the University of Oregon, Melissa decided to pursue a clinical degree in midwifery while completing the requirements for her doctorate in medical anthropology. Her research focuses on a subfield of medical anthropology called evolutionary medicine. It examines contemporary health conditions, including maternal and infant health patterns, in cross-cultural and evolutionary perspective. Melissa continues to attend home deliveries while teaching Biocultural Anthropology at Oregon State University.