Fish And More (FAM) Laboratory's students and associates conduct research and outreach activities related to the understanding of deep-time evolutionary histories of fish and their relatives, as well as functional anatomy and evolution of auditory systems.
Current projects in our lab include 1) systematic paleontology and interrelationships (phylogeny) of fishes, 2) functional anatomy of vertebrates, 3) normal function and pathological changes of the auditory system. We use methods in both descriptive and quantitative anatomy including computed tomography (CT) and geometric morphometrics, in biomechanical simulations for sound vibrations using dynamic finite element analysis (FEA), and in the physiological responses of fish to acoustic stimulation in experimental settings. In addition to laboratory research, we also conduct fieldwork to collect vertebrate fossils. The research goal of our lab is to understand the proximal (physiological and biomechanical) and ultimate (evolutionary) mechanisms underlying normal functions, dysfunctions, and disorders of the auditory system of vertebrates.