When did your career turn a corner? Was it a mentor's nudge, a flash of brilliance or an experimental second thought that became a lifelong pursuit? In the first instalment of the 'Turning Points' series in Nature Cell Biology, we learn how Gottfried Schatz was drawn into a career studying mitochondria by an unusual response to a postcard.

The Nautilus blog introduces these “short autobiographical essays by leading scientists”, which “feature a first-hand recounting of a pivotal event that shaped his or her scientific future” (http://tinyurl.com/cjfmzt). The journal's editors hope that some cell-biology folklore, normally shared only at the bar among a privileged few conference-goers, will be appreciated by larger numbers of early-career scientists each month.

Schatz, emeritus biochemist at the University of Basel in Switzerland, tells how his career was kindled by a senior scientist's generosity (http://tinyurl.com/coqlvy).

If you would like to see a particular cell, molecular or developmental biologist featured in this series, please send your suggestion to cellbio@nature.com.