Dr. Marina Picciotto

Rather than by focusing on a single outcome--landing a tenure-track position and starting a lab--Marina has navigated her career trajectory by following her interests wherever they have led her. After completing a high-school internship in a science lab, Marina realized that she loved being at the bench and didn’t want to leave! This passion guided her journey through her Ph.D. studies at Rockefeller University and postdoctoral years abroad at Institut Pasteur. From there, Marina was able to build her own research program at Yale School of Medicine. Her interview with Leslie highlights Marina’s philosophy borne from the realization that she didn’t want to define herself by what she did in the lab, but by who she was outside of it. By taking things one step at a time and investing in what makes her happy, Marina has been able to lead her own research team, raise a daughter, and serve as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Neuroscience. Marina’s journey to success is clear evidence that it’s possible to both be a respected scientist and have a vibrant life outside of research.