AUTOPHAGIA AND NEURODEGENERATION WORKSHOP
Autophagy is a self-degradative process that plays a housekeeping role in removing misfolded or aggregated proteins, clearing damaged organelles, as well as eliminating intracellular pathogens, promoting the cellular self-sufficiency of energy through the recycling of various energy substrates. Specifically, in the central nervous system, autophagy participates in the correct functioning of the nervous tissue, controlling its homeostasis. The pathogenic role of autophagy in various neurodegenerative diseases is becoming more evident in the last years, which provides a strong reason for the development of therapies aimed to modulate their activity in these disorders. The purpose of this meeting is to learn about the general concepts of autophagy and its key role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. This meeting summarizes the most up-to-date findings on how autophagy is executed and regulated at the molecular level and how its disruption can lead to disease.