I completed my PhD in 1993, working with Rob Saint at the University of Adelaide to analyse cell cycle mutants in Drosophila, and have continuously since used Drosophila genetics as a tool to interrogate biological questions. I first studied reproductive biology as an NHMRC CJ Martin Fellow at Stanford University with Minx Fuller analysing mutants that affect spermatogenesis and began studies on germline stem cell biology. I joined the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Melbourne in 1999 as a teaching and research academic. I have served as acting Head of Department and am now deputy Head of the newly formed Department of Anatomy and Physiology where I have continued studies of stem cell dynamics, reproductive biology, epithelial formation and using Drosophila to analyse human genomic variants.