The single-celled fungus allows researchers to study Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS and other brain diseases with unparalleled speed and scale.

Loss of the protein ATG7 is fatal in mice, but not always for people—although it is linked to human neurodevelopmental disorders, researchers report.

The University of Pittsburgh scientist, who was studying SARS-CoV-2, was shot to death in his home.

Autophagy may keep cell division in check to help protect against cancer-causing DNA damage.

From cellular self-digestion to the effects of exercise on the brain, our features editor picks her favorite art custom-made for the magazine.

Researchers identify antibacterial functions of cell death in Arabidopsis when the plant is infected with Pseudomonas.  

New details of the molecular process by which our cells consume themselves point to therapeutic potential.

By stifling autophagy in the motor neurons of a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), scientists stem later-stage disease progression.

The Harvard professor is pursuing fundamental questions about autophagy, protein homeostasis, and other cellular processes, and he’s always on the lookout for his next new topic.

Biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi is honored for his discoveries on the mechanisms of cellular recycling.

A new study supports the idea that cocaine triggers brain cells to eat themselves and suggests a possible antidote.

Researchers identify receptors that target the endoplasmic reticulum for degradation by autophagy in yeast and mice. 

In estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer, the transcription factor IRF1 tips the balance between cellular suicide and survival through autophagy.

Fixing impaired pruning and autophagy signaling in neurons eases the symptoms of autism in a mouse model of the disorder.

Self digestion thwarts self destruction.  

By audaciously pursuing an abandoned area of research, Ana María Cuervo discovered how cells selectively break down their waste, and revealed the health consequences when that process malfunctions.

Researchers show that amyloid beta is secreted from neurons in an autophagy-dependent manner.

Thomson Reuters makes its annual data-based picks for which scientists could collect medals in Stockholm later this year.