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Michael Coates is the Chair of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at the University of Chicago, specializing in vertebrate diversity and evolutionary biology. His research centers on the early evolution of vertebrates, particularly the origins of tetrapods and the evolutionary transitions from fin to limb. He investigates the phylogenetic patterns of vertebrate evolution through the study of fossils and anatomical data. His projects examine early gnathostomes, evolutionary radiation of jawed fishes, and the morphology and function of primitive chondrichthyans. Coates has published extensively on these subjects and employs an integrative approach combining both fossil evidence and molecular data. He aims to further understand the evolutionary history of vertebrates and the implications of morphological changes over time, particularly during critical transitions in their evolutionary trajectory.
Department of Philosophy