Antonina J. Kruppa BA PhD, originally from Germany, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Mathematics from Mount Holyoke College, USA in 2007. Supported by a Wellcome Trust PhD Studentship, she obtained her PhD at Trinity College, University of Cambridge in 2012 investigating an enzyme that protects from the toxicity of plaques in Alzheimer’s disease. She is currently undertaking post-doctoral research in the laboratory of Dr Folma Buss working on the molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases. Antonina’s research focuses on understanding the role of molecular motor proteins in Parkinson’s disease and is funded by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.