Research Themes Research Themes

1. Selective autophagy receptor discovery and characterization.

We harness comparative cell biology to uncover novel selective autophagy receptors, and characterize them using cutting-edge mechanistic tools.

2. Endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis and UFMylation

Building on our discovery of the conserved autophagy receptor C53 and its regulation by the enigmatic UFMylation pathway, our research combines evolutionary cell biology, advanced RNA biochemistry, and omics to illuminate the hidden roles of UFMylation in maintaining cellular homeostasis.

3. ATG8ylation and Vacuolar Quality Control

Our recent discovery that cell wall damage induces ATG8ylation of the tonoplast—a process known as non-canonical autophagy—opens exciting questions about how this modification safeguards vacuolar health. We are now unraveling the intricate mechanisms and physiological significance of this pathway.

4. Cell-Type Specific Autophagy Mechanisms

Understanding how autophagy varies among distinct cell types is a major frontier in cellular quality control research. With innovative tools we've developed, we're investigating how specialized autophagy pathways coordinate to sustain overall organismal homeostasis in response to diverse stresses.