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12 Headlines Why did you decide to become a scientist? I have always been an inquisitive person and really enjoy critical thinking and problem solving. I have also always really enjoyed the sciences with Chemistry and Mathematics being my favourite subjects through high school. As a result, I always knew I would end up in a scientific career. When I was around 13 years old, my Dad gave me the book ‘Gifted Hands’ by Dr Ben Carson as a present and this was my first introduction to neuroscience. I started reading about neuroscience thinking that I wanted to be a neurosurgeon like Dr Carson. It wasn’t until my first year in the Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Science) degree that I found that I really enjoyed lab work. I simply loved the innovative and somewhat creative aspect of science, the sense of discovering an unknown or creating new knowledge. What is the focus of your research and why? What do you hope your research will achieve if successful? My research is about finding new treatments for age-related neurological diseases. My main focus at the moment are neurological diseases that affect the eye and brain such as age-related macular degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease. We know that these age- related diseases are associated with a deficiency in the immune system’s ability to protect itself from external damage. We also know that there is a disease pathway, known as the inflammasome pathway, that has been implicated in several diseases. Why is this area important? This area is crucial because current therapies for neurological diseases at best slow down disease progression meaning that while they help to buy some time, development of chronic disease signs remains inevitable. Developing drugs that can halt the disease will therefore be a gamechanger in our battle against neurological diseases. What do you find most rewarding about your work? I love most of what I do. I love experimenting and problem solving. My work is all about asking ‘why?’ and I love it! I love student supervision too, it’s a wonderful feeling watching as students’ eyes light up looking down the microscope and appreciating the beauty of science. It is also rewarding when they receive prizes for their work. What have been the highlights of your career thus far? What have been your greatest achievements? My greatest achievement was being awarded the Neurological Foundation First Fellowship in 2020. I was so honoured that a panel of amazing and accomplished scientists felt that my research and I are worthy of such a prestigious fellowship. Meet Dr Lola Mugisho