In the last two decades, the study of the molecular regulation of aging in model organisms, particularly in C. elegans, has greatly expanded our knowledge of aging. Multiple longevity pathways, such as insulin-like growth factor signaling, TOR signaling, dietary restriction, and mitochondrial activity, control aging in C. elegans and other organisms. Recent genetic studies indicate that autophagy, an evolutionary conserved lysosomal degradation pathway, interacts with various longevity signals in the regulation of C. elegans life span. My lab uses C. elegans as a model organism to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which autophagy regulates aging
