Dr. Aurelie de Rus Jacquet received a master’s degree from Purpan School of Engineering (Toulouse, France), and a PhD in medicinal chemistry and molecular pharmacology from Purdue University (USA). After completing postdoctoral training at the Janelia Research Campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Université Laval in Canada, she accepted a position as an assistant professor in psychiatry and neurosciences at the Université Laval Faculty of Medicine. Dr. de Rus Jacquet specializes in studying the neurobiology of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and discovering neuroprotective natural products. She investigates the role of alpha-synuclein in disease onset and progression, with a focus on the disruption of the blood-brain barrier and the alteration of the blood-brain immune axis. She has explored how non-neuronal cells, including glia, affect the course of PD. To ensure that her research benefits a diverse population, she works to increase the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples in PD research.