The European TRANSAUTOPHAGY network comprises more than 200 members from public and private Institutions from 28 countries across Europe and the neighbouring regions.  The Netherlands is represented in the management committee of this COST action by Prof. Fulvio Reggiori (University of Groningen) and Prof. Annemarie Meijer (Leiden University).

Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway by which the cell self-digests damaged organelles and protein aggregates.  The essential role of this process in cellular homeostasis and energy metabolism explains that defects in autophagy are linked with diseases affecting a wide range of organs and systems. The main challenge of TRANSAUTOPHAGY is to extend multidisciplinary knowledge about autophagy and to accelerate its translation: i) for biomedical purposes, particularly prevention, accurate disease diagnosis and therapy development, and ii) for biotechnological applications, such as enhanced crop production and bioenergy generation.

The focus of the group of Annemarie Meijer in this network is on the role of autophagy as an immunological defense mechanism against mycobacteria (the causative agents of tuberculosis) and other intracellular pathogens.

• autophagy
• development & disease
• host-microbe interactions
• host-pathogen interaction
• infectious disease
• innate immunity
• tuberculosis
• zebrafish