Leila Darouey, MS'23, Neuroscience
Research Scientist II, Novartis
February 18, 2026
Can you describe your career path and how it has led to your current work?
I always wanted to be a scientist and initially thought about getting a PhD but was torn because it’s a huge commitment. Instead, I applied to the Neuroscience master’s program at Brandeis and got in. Initially, I thought I’d have an academic trajectory because it was what I was used to, but I learned a lot about biotech and pharma at Brandeis and became interested in that. When I finished the master’s, I applied to various roles in the neuroscience field. I found my current role, and it really aligned with what I wanted to do. I like that at Novartis, even though I am more junior, they still view me as a scientist. I get to run experiments, do lit reviews, come up with my own experiments, and present my own data. Brandeis really helped in getting the role because I think I needed a master’s to get my resume looked at.
What does a typical day/week look like for you in this position?
I tend to have a lot of meetings in the mornings and then move to lab work in the afternoons. I’m an electrophysiologist, so my experiments tend to be long, and I try to plan a full day for them. I have a day of experiments, and the next day I have meetings in the morning and then do data analysis and documentation in the afternoon. I also do a lot of cell analysis in the afternoons.
What skills from your Brandeis degree have you found most valuable in your current work?
In my Principles of Neuroscience course, we learned a lot about electrophysiology, which was very important to have as background for this job. Typically people don’t have this background without a PhD, so that course was really helpful. I also took a course in neurogenetics, in which I had to read lots of papers and critique and present their data. This was really important because I learned how to read a paper and understand it to the point where I could disagree with it or make suggestions for how the research could have been done better. This is a big part of the field, and if you get stuck on it, it will be really hard.
What advice do you have for current students as they embark on their career exploration or job search?
Although the market is kind of tough right now, don’t let that discourage you. It took me a while to find a job. Keep applying, even if you don’t think you meet all the requirements. Put yourself out there, network, and cold email people on LinkedIn. For internships, don’t turn anything down. Even if it doesn’t one hundred percent align with what you want to do, the connections and relationships you build will be so important.
Marika McCann was also very helpful. I met with her a bunch, and she helped me prepare for interviews. I would definitely tell people to utilize her services. Even if you don’t think you need help, she can help you more than you know, so get in touch!