Research
My research centres on evolutionary respiratory physiology, focusing on haemoglobin (Hb) function in mammals. I have a specific interest in inter- and intraspecific variation in blood oxygen affinity. My work explores the drivers that have shaped the oxygen biding properties of the respiratory protein Hb, drawing upon a multidisciplinary approach that integrates physiology, ecology, genetics, and evolutionary biology. Using phylogenetic frameworks, information-theoretic methods and detailed studies of Hb-oxygen binding characteristics, I aim to shed light on the underpinning physiological demands that may drive variation in mammalian blood-oxygen affinity, such as alternative oxygen environments, mass-specific metabolic rate and early life history traits. I hope that my research will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the evolutionary dynamics that have shaped mammalian diversity, with potential implications for fields ranging from ecology, conservation biology and medicine.