Steven Zuryn is an ARC Future Fellow and molecular geneticist at the Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland. After training as a PhD in genetics, he undertook postdoctoral research at the Institut Génétique Biologie Moléculaire Cellulaire in Strasbourg, France. For the last 10 years, he has led an international team of postdoctoral, PhD, Honours, and undergraduate investigators studying epigenetics and mitochondrial biology. His laboratory’s work focuses on the role and impact of mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases and is particularly focussed on mutations that are either inherited or that accumulate within the mitochondria’s own genome (mtDNA) during ageing. Throughout his research career, Steven has capitalised on the powerful genetic model system of C. elegans to address complex biological questions. His group now uses this elegant organism in combination with human cell models to probe deep underlying principles of mtDNA quality control, mosaicism, and inheritance. His research has been published in the high-profile journals such as Science, Nature Cell Biology and Cell Metabolism and has appeared in multiple mainstream media outlets. Steven is passionate about communicating the critical importance of fundamental scientific research as a requirement of long-term human development.