I have worked on understanding the innate immune system of the purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, since the mid 1980s. My research has been an intersection of immunology, molecular biology, cell biology, and invertebrate marine zoology. The overall outcomes of my research has elucidated a complex, flexible, and effective immune system in echinoids that shares some key gene orthologues with other animals including mammals. For some species, their immune functions enable long life spans of up to 100 years.