Steven grew up in Indonesia and came to Australia in 2007 to complete his undergraduate degree at the University of Western Australia in Perth.

In 2012, Steven relocated to Darwin and joined Menzies as a research assistant in the Global and Tropical Health team, focusing on malaria research.

In 2019, Steven graduated with a PhD from Charles Darwin University and Menzies. His current research focuses on understanding the pathophysiological role of the spleen and innate host components such as platelets and neutrophils in human malaria. His field studies in Papua have found that platelets directly attack and kill parasites in the blood of malaria patients, which may lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets to treat malaria or alleviate disease severity. Steven’s research has informed treatment policy for splenectomised patients living in endemic areas of Indonesia who are at higher risk of vivax and falciparum malaria. He recently discovered that the human spleen is the major reservoir for P. falciparum and P. vivax parasites in chronic malaria and received the prestigious Am. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. Young Investigator award for his achievements. Steven is currently working to dissect the splenic reservoir’s fundamental biology to inform the development of new and improved malaria control strategies.