Dr Russ Burrows comes from a background in academia and is PhD trained organic chemist, specialising in the chemistry of natural systems. His research has explored molecules produced by blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) that display cancer-fighting capacity, the medicinal properties of chemicals in fungi used by indigenous communities in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea and he has extensive experience in the field of chemical ecology, exploring the chemically mediated communication used by plants and insects. Russ is a passionate communicator, has lectured around the world and has published many research papers detailing his work. He is also the author of the popular textbook Chemistry in the Marketplace which attempts to explain the chemistry involved with everyday things.