She was initially interested in using chemistry to improve the human condition and spent her undergraduate years studying pharmacy. However, after discovering the limitations of drug-based therapy, she decided to switch directions and pursue an interdisciplinary PhD in nutrition, where there was a greater opportunity to positively impact human health through disease prevention. Her thesis work focused on the deposition, metabolism, and bioactivity of carotenoids (the compounds which impart yellow, orange, and red hues to common fruits and vegetables). She continued her studies on carotenoid metabolism during human digestion throughout her postdoctorate at INRA (Institut national de la recherché agronomique).