All cells are endowed with a variety of surveillance systems that detect unwanted or damaged proteins and eliminate them before they become toxic to the cells. One of which is autophagy which is a “self-eating” mechanism used by cells to degrade proteins in lysosomes. My laboratory is interested to elucidate yet unknown mechanisms in the degradation of proteins by autophagy and how the related defects result in accumulation of damaged components, proteotoxicity and loss of cognitive functions associated with neurodegeneration and aging
