My research activities centre on the evolution, growth and development of humans, their ancestors, and their closest relatives (e.g. Great Apes). Main focus is the quantitative analysis and comparison of hominid skulls, teeth, long bones and other skeletal elements using geometric and biomechanical properties. Most of my projects deal with the functional anatomy and evolutionary development of modern humans, Neanderthals, and Australopithecines.

I am the Head of the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology at University of Vienna, where I lead the work group “Virtual Anthropology” (multidisciplinary extension of anthropology into the digital world). Current projects deal with the description and classification of middle to late Pleistocene hominin material, the reconstruction of fossils, the quantitative analysis of postcanine hominin teeth, or the application of Virtual Anthropology to other areas such as archaeology and orthodontics. In addition, I am the head of the Vienna Micro-CT Lab at the Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna. The lab runs an advanced micro-CT device that can handle objects up to the size of skulls and femurs and penetrate dense objects such as fossils.