Our research lies at the interface of development, ecology, and evolution. The evolutionary process can be studied by zooming in and out between individual development and processes taking place within and among populations and species. The former asks how novel variation arises, the latter how this variation is maintained, propagated and modified over time. We are particularly interested in connecting the responsiveness of phenotypes to the environment with the causes of evolution. We make use of experimental and comparative methods, guided by mathematical modelling and conceptual analysis.