This timely volume explores the impact of autophagy in various human diseases, emphasizing the cell biological aspects and focusing on therapeutic approaches to these diseases.

The chapters cover autophagy and its potential applications on diseases ranging from obesity, osteoarthritis, pulmonary fibrosis, and inflammation, through ALS, Parkinson's, retinal degeneration, breast cancer, alcoholic liver disease and more. The final chapters round out the book with a discussion of autophagy in drug discovery and 'bench to bedside'. Chapters are contributed by leading authorities and describe the general concepts of autophagy in health and disease, marrying cell biology and pharmacology and covering: studies derived from preclinical experiments, manufacturing considerations,and regulatory requirements pertaining to drug discovery and manufacturing and production. This volume will be useful for basic scientists as well as already practicing cliniciansand advanced graduate students.

Autophagy and Stem cells.- Fine-Tuning the Stem Cell Fate by Autophagy.- Role of Autophagy in Aging of Hematopoietic Stem Cells and Their Niche: Relevance in Clinical Transplantations and Regenerative Medicine.- Forkhead box O (FoxO) Transcription Factors in Autophagy, Metabolic Health, and Tissue Homeostasis.- The Role of mTOR in Osteoclasts.- Apoptotic Cell Clearance in Gut Tissue-Role of Intestinal Regeneration.- Autophagic Regulation of Cardiomyocyte Survival and Heart Regeneration.- The Role of Autophagy in Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Suppression of Immune Response.- Emerging Connections: Presynaptic Autophagy in Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases.- Virus and Autophagy: Enemies or Allies.- Cancer Stem Cells and Autophagy: Present Knowledge and Future Perspectives.

Kursad Turksen received his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in Toronto, Canada in the area of osteoprogenitor biology and cell selection methodologies. He completed his postdoctoral training at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Chicago, in Chicago, Illinois, studying epidermal biology through use of genetically-altered mouse models. He joined the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute in Ottawa, Canada [previously known as the Loeb Research Institute] where he rose to the position of Senior Scientist in the Division of Regenerative Medicine. His research interests focus on stem cell biology, with a particular interest in the Claudin family of tight junction proteins and their role in epidermal lineage commitment and progression during development in health and disease. Dr. Turksen was, until recently, Editor in Chief of the Springer journal 
Stem Cell Reviews and Reports
 and currently serves as Series Editor for the Springer series 
Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
.