Autophagy, a mechanism for the degradation of cellular components’ 1000 scientists 1000 classrooms

The “1000 Scientists, 1000 Classrooms” initiative aims to bring science closer to students through talks delivered by scientists in schools. This program encourages interest in scientific disciplines and strengthens the connection between academia and society.

For this talk, I explained a mechanism of cellular self-maintenance: autophagy. This process involves the self-degradation of cellular components in response to nutritional stress or the elimination of damaged structures. On the day I gave the first talk, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was announced. It was awarded to Yoshinori Ohsumi for identifying the genes and mechanisms that regulate autophagy.