Winnie Mirembe is a PhD candidate in Molecular Biology. Her research investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia, with a focus on the role of TDP43 C-terminal fragments and their toxic gain-of-function. Specifically, she studies how TDP43 fragments behave differently from the full-length TDP43 protein when they are not efficiently cleared by the proteasome. Using cellular, biochemical, and in vivo approaches, she demonstrates that aggregation-prone fragments can independently disrupt RNA processing and neuronal function, even in the presence of intact normal TDP43. Supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health, her work links proteostasis failure to disease-relevant splicing defects and motor impairment, advancing a clearer mechanistic framework for TDP43 proteinopathies and highlighting protein quality control pathways as potential therapeutic targets. Winnie has presented her work at multiple scientific conferences, such as Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, Keystone Symposium, and the Society for Neuroscience. She placed second in the 3-Minute Thesis competition and won the People’s Choice Award.