Associate Professor Steven Zuryn
Associate Professor

Steven Zuryn

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 334 66477

Background

Dr Steven Zuryn is a molecular geneticist within the Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland. After training as a PhD in genetics, he undertook postdoctoral reseach at the Institut Génétique Biologie Moléculaire Cellulaire (IGBMC) in Strasbourg, France. He now leads an international and diverse 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 fascinated with mutations that accumulate within the mitochondria’s own genome during ageing. His research has been published in the high profile journals Science, Nature Cell Biology, and Nature Communications and has appeared in multiple mainstream media outlets. For his research, he has received multiple international prizes and fellowships, been awarded grants from the NHMRC and ARC as primary chief investigator and is generously supported as a fellow of the Stafford Fox Research Foundation. Steven is passionate about communicating the critical importance of fundamental scientific research as a long-term human endeavour.

Follow the Zuryn lab on Twitter: @zurynlab

Visit the Zuryn lab website.

Availability

Associate Professor Steven Zuryn is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Biochemistry and cell biology Biological Sciences Genetics

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Research impacts

With life expectancies increasing around the world, neurodegenerative disorders represent an enormous disease burden on individuals, families, and society. Two forms of cellular stress are associated with practically every single age-related neurodegenerative disease: mitochondrial dysfunction, and toxicity resulting from conformationally challenged, aggregate-prone proteins. Although direct links between these factors and human disease are sometimes elusive, it is clear that such stresses ultimately lead to a decline in individual neuron function over time.

In recent research, the Zuryn lab has shown that neurodegenerative disease-associated tau and polyglutamate proteins can increase the levels of mutations in the mitochondrial genome. This is the first evidence linking the two hallmarks of nerodegeneration and provides new avenues in which to explore potential therapeutics.

Search Professor Steven Zuryn’s works on UQ eSpace

30 works between 2008 and 2024
All (30) Journal Article (29) Conference Publication (1)

1 - 20 of 30 works

2024

Journal Article

Misregulation of mitochondrial 6mA promotes the propagation of mutant mtDNA and causes aging in C. elegans

Hahn, Anne, Hung, Grace Ching Ching, Ahier, Arnaud, Dai, Chuan-Yang, Kirmes, Ina, Forde, Brian M., Campbell, Daniel, Lee, Rachel Shin Yie, Sucic, Josiah, Onraet, Tessa and Zuryn, Steven (2024). Misregulation of mitochondrial 6mA promotes the propagation of mutant mtDNA and causes aging in C. elegans. Cell Metabolism, 36 (12), 2528-2541.e11. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2024.07.020

Misregulation of mitochondrial 6mA promotes the propagation of mutant mtDNA and causes aging in C. elegans

2024

Journal Article

Protein kinase 2 of the giant sarcomeric protein UNC-89 regulates mitochondrial morphology and function

Matsunaga, Yohei, Qadota, Hiroshi, Ghazal, Nasab, Lesanpezeshki, Leila, Dorendorf, Till, Moody, Jasmine C., Ahier, Arnaud, Matheny, Courtney J., Vanapalli, Siva A., Zuryn, Steven, Mayans, Olga, Kwong, Jennifer Q. and Benian, Guy M. (2024). Protein kinase 2 of the giant sarcomeric protein UNC-89 regulates mitochondrial morphology and function. Communications Biology, 7 (1) 1342. doi: 10.1038/s42003-024-07042-3

Protein kinase 2 of the giant sarcomeric protein UNC-89 regulates mitochondrial morphology and function

2024

Journal Article

SoMarker: a genetic marker searching tool for <i>C. elegans</i>

Dai, Chuan-Yang, Zhang, Haobo and Zuryn, Steven (2024). SoMarker: a genetic marker searching tool for C. elegans. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, 14 (10) jkae197. doi: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae197

SoMarker: a genetic marker searching tool for <i>C. elegans</i>

2024

Journal Article

The mechanisms and roles of mitochondrial dynamics in C. elegans

Campbell, Daniel and Zuryn, Steven (2024). The mechanisms and roles of mitochondrial dynamics in C. elegans. Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology, 156, 266-275. doi: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.10.006

The mechanisms and roles of mitochondrial dynamics in C. elegans

2024

Journal Article

C. elegans as a model to study mitochondrial biology and disease

Onraet, Tessa and Zuryn, Steven (2024). C. elegans as a model to study mitochondrial biology and disease. Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology, 154 (Part A), 48-58. doi: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.04.006

C. elegans as a model to study mitochondrial biology and disease

2023

Journal Article

ATFS-1 counteracts mitochondrial DNA damage by promoting repair over transcription

Dai, Chuan-Yang, Ng, Chai Chee, Hung, Grace Ching Ching, Kirmes, Ina, Hughes, Laetitia A., Du, Yunguang, Brosnan, Christopher A., Ahier, Arnaud, Hahn, Anne, Haynes, Cole M., Rackham, Oliver, Filipovska, Aleksandra and Zuryn, Steven (2023). ATFS-1 counteracts mitochondrial DNA damage by promoting repair over transcription. Nature Cell Biology, 25 (8), 1-10. doi: 10.1038/s41556-023-01192-y

ATFS-1 counteracts mitochondrial DNA damage by promoting repair over transcription

2023

Journal Article

FBXL4 suppresses mitophagy by restricting the accumulation of NIX and BNIP3 mitophagy receptors

Nguyen‐Dien, Giang Thanh, Kozul, Keri‐Lyn, Cui, Yi, Townsend, Brendan, Kulkarni, Prajakta Gosavi, Ooi, Soo Siang, Marzio, Antonio, Carrodus, Nissa, Zuryn, Steven, Pagano, Michele, Parton, Robert G, Lazarou, Michael, Millard, S Sean, Taylor, Robert W, Collins, Brett M, Jones, Mathew JK and Pagan, Julia K (2023). FBXL4 suppresses mitophagy by restricting the accumulation of NIX and BNIP3 mitophagy receptors. The EMBO Journal, 42 (13) e112767, e112767. doi: 10.15252/embj.2022112767

FBXL4 suppresses mitophagy by restricting the accumulation of NIX and BNIP3 mitophagy receptors

2023

Journal Article

C. elegans as a model for health and disease

Zuryn, Steven (2023). C. elegans as a model for health and disease. Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology, 154 (Part A), 1-3. doi: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.07.006

C. elegans as a model for health and disease

2022

Journal Article

LONP-1 aids propagation of deleterious mtDNA

Kirmes, Ina and Zuryn, Steven (2022). LONP-1 aids propagation of deleterious mtDNA. Nature Cell Biology, 24 (2), 127-128. doi: 10.1038/s41556-021-00838-z

LONP-1 aids propagation of deleterious mtDNA

2021

Journal Article

Cell-specific mitochondria affinity purification (CS-MAP) from Caenorhabditis elegans

Ahier, Arnaud, Onraet, Tessa and Zuryn, Steven (2021). Cell-specific mitochondria affinity purification (CS-MAP) from Caenorhabditis elegans. STAR Protocols, 2 (4) 100952, 1. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100952

Cell-specific mitochondria affinity purification (CS-MAP) from Caenorhabditis elegans

2021

Journal Article

Mitochondrial mistranslation modulated by metabolic stress causes cardiovascular disease and reduced lifespan

Richman, Tara R., Ermer, Judith A., Siira, Stefan J., Kuznetsova, Irina, Brosnan, Christopher A., Rossetti, Giulia, Baker, Jessica, Perks, Kara L., Cserne Szappanos, Henrietta, Viola, Helena M., Gray, Nicola, Larance, Mark, Hool, Livia C., Zuryn, Steven, Rackham, Oliver and Filipovska, Aleksandra (2021). Mitochondrial mistranslation modulated by metabolic stress causes cardiovascular disease and reduced lifespan. Aging Cell, 20 (7) e13408, e13408. doi: 10.1111/acel.13408

Mitochondrial mistranslation modulated by metabolic stress causes cardiovascular disease and reduced lifespan

2021

Journal Article

PINK1 and parkin shape the organism-wide distribution of a deleterious mitochondrial genome

Ahier, Arnaud, Dai, Chuan-Yang, Kirmes, Ina, Cummins, Nadia, Hung, Grace Ching Ching, Götz, Jürgen and Zuryn, Steven (2021). PINK1 and parkin shape the organism-wide distribution of a deleterious mitochondrial genome. Cell Reports, 35 (9) 109203, 109203. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109203

PINK1 and parkin shape the organism-wide distribution of a deleterious mitochondrial genome

2021

Journal Article

Cell-type-specific profiling of loaded miRNAs from Caenorhabditis elegans reveals spatial and temporal flexibility in Argonaute loading

Brosnan, Christopher A., Palmer, Alexander J. and Zuryn, Steven (2021). Cell-type-specific profiling of loaded miRNAs from Caenorhabditis elegans reveals spatial and temporal flexibility in Argonaute loading. Nature Communications, 12 (1) 2194, 1-16. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-22503-7

Cell-type-specific profiling of loaded miRNAs from Caenorhabditis elegans reveals spatial and temporal flexibility in Argonaute loading

2021

Journal Article

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)

Klionsky, Daniel J., Abdel-Aziz, Amal Kamal, Abdelfatah, Sara, Abdellatif, Mahmoud, Abdoli, Asghar, Abel, Steffen, Abeliovich, Hagai, Abildgaard, Marie H., Abudu, Yakubu Princely, Acevedo-Arozena, Abraham, Adamopoulos, Iannis E., Adeli, Khosrow, Adolph, Timon E., Adornetto, Annagrazia, Aflaki, Elma, Agam, Galila, Agarwal, Anupam, Aggarwal, Bharat B., Agnello, Maria, Agostinis, Patrizia, Agrewala, Javed N., Agrotis, Alexander, Aguilar, Patricia V., Ahmad, S. Tariq, Ahmed, Zubair M., Ahumada-Castro, Ulises, Aits, Sonja, Aizawa, Shu, Akkoc, Yunus ... Tong, Chun-Kit (2021). Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition). Autophagy, 17 (1), 1-382. doi: 10.1080/15548627.2020.1797280

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)

2019

Journal Article

Mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) mutations that generate reactive oxygen species

Hahn, Anne and Zuryn, Steven (2019). Mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) mutations that generate reactive oxygen species. Antioxidants, 8 (9) 392, 392. doi: 10.3390/antiox8090392

Mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) mutations that generate reactive oxygen species

2019

Journal Article

Disease‐associated tau impairs mitophagy by inhibiting Parkin translocation to mitochondria

Cummins, Nadia, Tweedie, Andrea, Zuryn, Steven, Bertran‐Gonzalez, Jesus and Götz, Jürgen (2019). Disease‐associated tau impairs mitophagy by inhibiting Parkin translocation to mitochondria. The EMBO Journal, 38 (3) e99360, e99360. doi: 10.15252/embj.201899360

Disease‐associated tau impairs mitophagy by inhibiting Parkin translocation to mitochondria

2018

Journal Article

Alternative assembly of respiratory complex II connects energy stress to metabolic checkpoints

Bezawork-Geleta, Ayenachew, Wen, He, Dong, LanFeng, Yan, Bing, Vider, Jelena, Boukalova, Stepana, Krobova, Linda, Vanova, Katerina, Zobalova, Renata, Sobol, Margarita, Hozak, Pavel, Novais, Silvia Magalhaes, Caisova, Veronika, Abaffy, Pavel, Naraine, Ravindra, Pang, Ying, Zaw, Thiri, Zhang, Ping, Sindelka, Radek, Kubista, Mikael, Zuryn, Steven, Molloy, Mark P., Berridge, Michael V., Pacak, Karel, Rohlena, Jakub, Park, Sunghyouk and Neuzil, Jiri (2018). Alternative assembly of respiratory complex II connects energy stress to metabolic checkpoints. Nature Communications, 9 (1) 2221, 2221. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-04603-z

Alternative assembly of respiratory complex II connects energy stress to metabolic checkpoints

2018

Journal Article

Affinity purification of cell-specific mitochondria from whole animals resolves patterns of genetic mosaicism

Ahier, Arnaud, Dai, Chuan-Yang, Tweedie, Andrea, Bezawork-Geleta, Ayenachew, Kirmes, Ina and Zuryn, Steven (2018). Affinity purification of cell-specific mitochondria from whole animals resolves patterns of genetic mosaicism. Nature Cell Biology, 20 (3), 352-360. doi: 10.1038/s41556-017-0023-x

Affinity purification of cell-specific mitochondria from whole animals resolves patterns of genetic mosaicism

2018

Journal Article

The Cellular Mitochondrial Genome Landscape in Disease

Hahn, Anne and Zuryn, Steven (2018). The Cellular Mitochondrial Genome Landscape in Disease. Trends in Cell Biology, 29 (3), 227-240. doi: 10.1016/j.tcb.2018.11.004

The Cellular Mitochondrial Genome Landscape in Disease

2014

Journal Article

Sequential histone-modifying activities determine the robustness of transdifferentiation

Zuryn, Steven, Ahier, Arnaud, Portoso, Manuela, White, Esther Redhouse, Morin, Marie-Charlotte, Margueron, Raphaël and Jarriault, Sophie (2014). Sequential histone-modifying activities determine the robustness of transdifferentiation. Science, 345 (6198), 826-829. doi: 10.1126/science.1255885

Sequential histone-modifying activities determine the robustness of transdifferentiation

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2029
    Centre of Research Excellence in Mechanisms In NeuroDegeneration - Alzheimer's Disease (MIND-AD CRE)
    NHMRC Centres of Research Excellence
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2028
    Microbiome Regulation of the Host Mitochondrial Genome
    ARC Future Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2026
    Mitochondria as sensors of environmental threats
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    Metabolic and molecular protection against mtDNA mutations
    NHMRC IDEAS Grants
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2029
    The Stafford Fox Medical Research Foundation for a Senior Research Fellowship in Stroke-Induced Dementia
    The Stafford Fox Medical Research Foundation
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2020 - 2023
    Mechanisms that control the inheritance of mitochondrial DNA mutations
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2021
    Prevention and treatment of mitochondrial DNA mutations
    The Donald & Joan Wilson Foundation Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2021
    Molecular protection against mitochondrial DNA damage
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2018
    A multifunctional platform for monitoring and manipulating neural activities with freely behaving small animals
    NHMRC Equipment Grant
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2019
    Epigenetic determination of neuronal vulnerability and neurodegenerative disease
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2016
    Automatic plate pourer
    NHMRC Equipment Grant
    Open grant
  • 2016
    Generating transgenic mitochondrial genomes for investigation of mitochondrial biology in vivo
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant

Availability

Associate Professor Steven Zuryn is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Microbial effects on host mitochondrial DNA

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Mark Schembri

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Epigenetics responses to mitochondrial DNA damage

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Ina Kirmes

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Metabolic and molecular protection against mtDNA mutations

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Arnaud Ahier

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Determining how mitochondrial quality is maintained within axons

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Massimo Hilliard

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Comparative analysis of instinctual feeding behaviour and addiction in the genetic model organism, C. elegans.

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Paul Ebert

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Investigating the role of oxidative stress in neurodegeneration.

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Massimo Hilliard

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Pharmacogenetics of anorexia in the model organism C.elegans

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Paul Ebert

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Comparative analysis of instinctual feeding behaviour and addiction in the genetic model organism, C. elegans.

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Paul Ebert

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The role of mitochondria and lipid droplets in innate immunity and host defence

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Matt Sweet

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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