Marleen obtained her BSc degree in Psychobiology and her MSc degree in Neurobiology (Psychopharmacology and Pathophysiology) at the University of Amsterdam with the major Science in Society at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

She is editor-in-chief of the Dutch trade journal De Neuroloog for neurologists and works as a junior researcher on Lil’Scientist. Lil’Scientist is a citizen science project that engages children as real scientists. This project is carried out with The Young Academy and Stichting IMC Weekendschool. Marleen has experience with science communication with children. She coordinated the Young Scientist Doeboeken at New Scientist. These books contain various puzzles and experiments which children can perform at home. Marleen is also one of the authors of Klaas Kan Alles, a book based on a children’s television program.