Dr. Maria Lehtinen

Dr. Maria Lehtinen’s interest in human behavior was sparked during high school prompting her to want to become a psychiatrist. However, in college, she found the current psychological theories very unsatisfying and wanted to instead understand the brain. She switched to the newly started neuroscience major and joined a neuroscience research lab. Towards the end of her undergraduate years, as she prepared to take the MCAT she reflected on how much she liked basic neuroscience research so she decided to pursue a PhD at Harvard University where she studied what keeps neurons alive. After completing her PhD Maria returned home to Finland to complete postdoctoral training close to family. She discovered how oxidative stress leads to neurodegeneration which launched her into her independent career. In her interview with Catie, Maria discusses her research path and the importance of connecting with her trainees.