Marine — who grew up in France and earned her PhD in fundamental neuroscience from University of Lausanne in Switzerland — is developing research models that better represent how cells in the human brain function and are affected by neurological diseases such Fragile X syndrome, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson's. “When I was very young, I wanted to save people and being a firefighter seemed like an exciting job,” she recalls, “as did being an ambulance driver or police officer. Over time, that shifted to wanting to be a veterinarian and then — in part because two family members have psychiatric disorders — settled in a passion for neuroscientific research." In parallel, Marine started studying martial arts when she was fifteen, and that’s been her main activity outside of school or work since. "I began with karate; then, during graduate school, started training in Sanda, the fighting aspect of Wushu. Later, I studied kickboxing with a former professional kickboxer. When I first came to the U.S., I focused on amateur boxing, running, and lifting weights. Recently, I've started learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and I love it. Research can be full of frustration and anxiety; but I find combat sports are a good way to release frustration and reduce anxiety. It’s also helped strengthen my confidence."