As a broadly trained, integrative physiologist, my research efforts are divided among several areas; understanding the mechanism(s), regulation and functional significance of cardiac shunting in turtles, snakes, lizards and crocodilians; investigating the factors that determine and regulate the cardiopulmonary response to elevated metabolism in vertebrates, investigating the ontogeny of cardiovascular regulation, studying acclimatization to hypoxia and investigating the effects of gravity on the vertebrate cardiovascular system.

My research focuses on vertebrates and spans several groups, including amphibians, reptiles and humans. My laboratory provides a unique evolutionary perspective into circulation and respiration and seeks to discover not only differences among organisms, but the unifying principles shared by diverse organisms.