Current projects
»	Phylogeny of neoselachians - a multidisciplinary approach. The aim of this project is to re-evaluate the phylogeny of extant and fossil neoselachians using molecular, cranial and postcranial, and dental characters, and to analyse the value of skeletal characters in establishing a phylogeny of extant and fossil taxa. A supertree will be created using all available data to gain additional information on fossil and extant neoselachian interrelationships
»	Phylogeny of lamniform and orectolobiform sharks. The aim of this project is to investigate the systematic position of Palaeocarcharias and Late Jurassic orectolobiform sharks within a phylogenetic framework of extant taxa and to evaluate dental characters in phylogenetic analyses.
»	Revision of Late Jurassic squatinoid sharks (Elasmobranchii, Squatiniformes). The aim of this project is to re-study the cranial and postcranial morphology of articulated Late Jurassic selachians that are currently assigned to Squatiniformes using cladistic principles. The value of tooth characters in identifying fossil angle sharks is analysed. Together with M. CARVALHO and D. THIES.
»	Early Jurassic selachians The aim of this project is to re-study Early Jurassic selachian skeletons.
»	Late Cretaceous to Palaeocene selachians from Argentina. The aim is to evaluate the diversity changes of selachian assemblages in high latitudes across the K/T boundary and to identify possible effects of the K/T boundary event on the faunal assemblages. Together with R. SCASSO and F. MEDINA (Buenos Aires, Argentina) and M. ABERHAN and W. KIESSLING (Berlin, Germany).
»	Diversity of post-Jurassic Antarctic fishes. Aim is to reconstruct diversity patterns of fossil Antarctic fish communities based on recent research.
»	Cenozoic gadiform fishes (Teleostei, Gadiformes) of Antarctica. Aim of this project is to re-investigate gadiform remains from the Eocene of Antarctica and to analyse the diversity patterns of gadiform teleosts throughout the Cenozoic of Antarctica. Together with A. GAZDZICKI (Warszawa, Poland).
»	Fishes from the Muschelkalk of NE Germany. Aim of this project is to describe disarticulated and articulated fish remains from the Muschelkalk of Rüdersdorf near Berlin (NE Germany) and to discuss the palaeogeographic relations of this fauna. The actinopterygians are remarkably well preserved consisting of numerous more or less completely articulated specimens. Together with H.-P. SCHULTZE (Berlin, Germany).
»	New Late Cretaceous pycnodont fish from NW Germany. Aim of this project is to describe a small new pycnodont fish from the Turonian of NW Germany and to discuss its systematic position within Pycnodontiformes. Together with J. LEHMANN (Bremen, Germany).
»	Revision of Paramesturus from the Early Cretaceous of NW Germany. Aim of this project is to re-investigate the skeletal morphology of the single specimen of Paramesturus from the Early Cretaceous of NW Germany. Paramesturus is assumed to represent a basal pycnodontiform neopterygian. The systematic position of Paramesturus within Pycnodontiformes is established using cladistic principles.
»	Diversity and biogeography of Late Jurassic fish faunas. Aim of this project is to analyse the faunal composition of Late Jurassic fish assemblages of the NW Tethyal margin (Germany, France, Spain) and to establish diversity, migratory, and biogeographic patterns of fishes during this crucial period in modern fish evolution.