My research is focused on how changes to embryonic morphogenesis drives anatomical evolution. I use a variety of paleontological and developmental techniques to study the relationship between ontogenetic and evolutionary processes across molecular and macroevolutionary scales.

Ontogenetic Trajectories

Ontogenetic studies are the foundation of my research, as the embryonic origins of anatomical structures are critical to reconstructing the role played by development in evolutionary change. Quantifying the embryonic origins of anatomical disparity or key structures and reconstructing the evolution of development itself enables identification potential developmental mechanisms for these patterns. My prior studies of crocodylian cranial ontogeny revealed embryonic constraint and shifts in the timing of development (i.e., heterochrony) underlie the repeated evolution of ecologically distinct snout shapes, while other features like the ear and skull roof appear to have been conserved since the Triassic.

Macroevolutionary Trends

My research is ultimately motivated by questions about the patterns of disparity observable only at the macroevolutionary scale. By incorporating both extant diversity and the transformations contained in the fossil record, my work addresses the underlying causes for structure in biological disparity. By directly comparing patterns of covariation across macroevolutionary trends and developmental timescales we can identify key  mechanisms driving evolutionary change, such as the way in which developmental bias facilitated snout shape convergence across stem and crown crocodylians.

Developmental
Mechanisms

Zooming in on the cellular and molecular scale further enables testing of developmental mechanisms revealed by ontogenetic and macroevolutionary studies. Using new protocols for embryological assays in non-model organisms — including in ovo labeling of proliferating cells, immunofluorescent assays for precursors to cartilage and bone, and in situ hybridization in reptile embryos — my research probes key processes underlying cranial morphogenesis. Confocal microscopy captures the full three-dimensional shape of embryonic tissues, zones of proliferation, and gene expression patterns which can be quantitatively compared to assess potential mechanisms of evolutionary change.

My goal is to create complete morphogenetic landscapes which connect evolutionary disparity to the pre-skeletal tissues and ultimately the cellular properties and patterns of gene expression which underlie morphogenesis. This will enable tests of not only hypothesized developmental patterns of extinct organisms but also predictions of organismal responses to future change.