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). She completed a first postdoctoral training with Dr. Erin O’Shea at Janelia Research Campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and is currently working on a second training with Dr. Francesca Cicchetti at Université Laval in Canada. She specializes in the study of the neurobiology of Parkinson’s disease and the discovery of neuroprotective natural products. Using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based models and microfluidic technologies, Dr. de Rus Jacquet currently investigates the role of astrocytes and the Parkinson’s disease-related pathological protein alpha-synuclein in disease onset and progression, and in particular the disruption of the blood-brain barrier. Her work has been featured in online articles, radio interviews and podcasts.