The continuity of life rests on faithful inheritance of both DNA and cellular machineries responsible for decoding the genomes. Ngoc-Han Tran studies the endoplasmic reticulum – a cellular compartment that varies in size and shape and performs a wide range of essential functions – throughout its dynamic partitioning in the ovary. By defining the relationship between endoplasmic reticulum shapes and functions during oogenesis, Tran seeks to understand how the endoplasmic reticulum is inherited across generations and how its malfunctions frequently lead to many diseases.