Autophagy-Targeted Therapies
Autophagy is an important topic in modern cell biology. It is a dynamic process for the maintenance of cellular and metabolic homeostasis. Scientists’ interest in autophagy-related mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease) and an array of other disorders is rapidly increasing. Reflecting this interest, the number of publications related to autophagy is growing exponentially. Prous Institute has initiated a research program focused on the mechanisms driving autophagy to discover new targets for the design of new small-molecule modulators of autophagy as therapeutic agents.
Several studies have shown that links may exist between autophagy and apoptosis, a subtype of programmed cell death. For this reason our Institute has a special interest in considering apoptosis in its research program.
Understanding the complexity of interlinked signaling pathways associated with autophagy and apoptosis can provide numerous opportunities for the development of new targeted therapies.
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