In This Issue, Volume 7, Issue 1

Autophagy is the process by which cellular components are degraded and recycled. Given this role, autophagy is essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis, and mutations in autophagy-related genes have been implicated in a number of diseases including neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, VPS34, has been implicated in playing a role in autophagy