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. She completed postdoctoral training at Janelia Research Campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and at Université Laval in Canada. She is currently an assistant professor in psychiatry and neurosciences at Université Laval, where she specializes in studying the neurobiology of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and discovering neuroprotective natural products. Using stem-cell based models and microfluidic technologies, Dr. de Rus Jacquet investigates the role of alpha-synuclein and LRRK2 in disease onset and progression, with a particular focus on the disruption of the blood-brain barrier and the alteration of the blood-brain immune axis. She has proposed that non-neuronal cells affect the course of PD. To ensure her research benefits a diverse population, she works to increase the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples in PD research.