Maxinne did a Bachelor of Medical Science (2010-2012) before pursuing her post-graduate studies [Graduate Diploma in Science (2013) and a Doctor of Philosophy (2014-2018)] from the University of Sydney. Her research project was centred on investigating the mechanisms of disease in the neurodegenerative disease Machado-Joseph disease (MJD; otherwise known as spinocerebellar ataxia type-3) within a transgenic MJD zebrafish model. From understanding these disease mechanisms, she also explored testing potential therapeutic compounds in the MJD zebrafish model, as this disease currently has no disease modifying treatments. Since then, Maxinne has been working as a post-doctoral researcher at Macquarie University at the Motor Neuron Disease Research Centre. At Macquarie University, she continues her research in MJD under the supervision of A/Prof Angela Laird. Her research interests include neuroscience in the context of neurodegeneration, protein cleavage, protein quality control pathway autophagy.