My research is focused on the palaeobiology and early evolution of echinoderms. I analyse Palaeozoic fossils with the aid of X-ray tomography and computer simulations, thereby obtaining new insights into their morphology, systematics and function. I am also interested in the anatomy and development of modern species. This work has allowed me to test long-standing hypotheses concerning the mode of life, phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history of early echinoderms, with implications for understanding the Cambrian explosion and the emergence of animals more generally.