Project 1: Comparative Embryology & Evolutionary Morphology of the Mammalian Cranium

My group works on various aspects of evolutionary embryology of the mammalian cranium.

This has been the long-standing central agenda of our research projects.

We have been gathering CT scans of fetuses of rare species from classic museum collections and also often conduct fieldwork to collect fetuses of non-endangered animals.  

Altogether, we investigate the developmental changes behind morphological diversity and constrained patterns in evolution across amniotes.

Keywords: Homology, Heterochrony, Heterotopy, Modularity, Genes, Chondrocranium

Project 2: Evolutionary Developmental Biology of Bats

My group is currently interested in the spectacular evolution of bats.

To shed light on the morphological evolution and diversity of bats, we integrate approaches from comparative anatomy, paleontology, genomics, bioinformatics, and ecology.

We are conducting field studies in Japan, Vietnam, Korea, and Hong Kong.

Keywords: Echolocation, Ear, Larynx, Modularity, Histology