On Thursday, November 12, 2026, scientists have developed a light-based switch that can rapidly turn the cell's internal recycling process on and off.
The new tool, called ASAP, lets researchers abruptly control autophagy, a cellular recycling process that breaks down old parts and reuses them. The Salk team used it to confirm known autophagy targets and uncover new ones, including nuclear pore complexes and protein condensates. Researchers say the approach could help them understand autophagy in broader disease contexts, including cancer, neurodegeneration, aging and infection.