LS2 Section Autophagy
The field of autophagy research has grown immensely over the last few years due to significant new scientific insights:
- 2016 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine awarded to Prof. Yoshinori Ohsumi for his discoveries of mechanisms for autophagy has highlighted its importance. Autophagy research in Switzerland is well developing.
- Of interest, several national autophagy associations have been founded in Europe: France: CFATG, Germany: GBM Autophagie, UK: Autophagy UK Network, Spain: NEAR: Network of Excellence for Autophagy Research, Nordic Countries: Nordic Autophagy Society
- A Swiss autophagy association allow for a better and intensified knowledge transfer as well as networking among autophagy groups in Switzerland, particularly during annual section meetings.
- Lastly, Swiss research groups are actively participating in the Transautophagy COST action
("TRANSAUTOPHAGY: European network for multidisciplinary research and translation of autophagy knowledge." Autophagy. 2016;12(3):614-7)
This lead to founding The Swiss LS2 Autophagy section in 2017. The Section aims to increase the chance to render the scientific successes and outreach efforts of the COST Action more perennial in Switzerland.
Section Board
Vassiliki Nikoletopoulou
University of Lausanne
vassiliki.nikoletopoulou@unil.ch
Patricia Boya
University of Fribourg
patricia.boya@unifr.ch
Julien Pierre Puyal
University of Lausanne
julienpierre.puyal@unil.ch
Jörn Dengjel
University of Fribourg
joern.dengjel@unifr.ch
www.unifr.ch/biology
How to join the LS2 Section Autophagy
New Members: Apply for the LS2 membership here and select "Autophagy Section" in the online application form.
Existing LS2 Members: can log in at www.ls2.ch, click on "Change the LS2 Sections you are in" and change to/add the new section "Autophagy".
News and Events:
Swiss Autophagy Conference 2026
The Swiss Autophagy Conference 2026 took place on 3–4 September at the University of Fribourg, bringing together 77 participants for one and a half days of exciting science, lively discussions, and exchange.
This year, we were delighted to introduce flash talks as a new feature of the program. All participants who submitted an abstract had the opportunity to share their work, making the program even more interactive and inclusive. The Best Short Talk and Best Flash Talk awards were selected through a public vote.
We would like to sincerely thank our meeting chairs, Patricia Boya and Joern Dengjel (University of Fribourg), as well as everyone who joined us on-site, presented their work, and supported the meeting. Thank you for making the Swiss Autophagy Conference 2026 a great success!
Prize winners at the Swiss Autophagy Conference 2026:
Congratulations to the Best Short Talk and Best Flash Talk Prize Winners:
Lisa Gambarotto (University of Lausanne)
200 Euro sponsored by Autophagy Reports & Autophagy Journals
Erin Wosnitzka (University of Lausanne)
200 CHF sponsored by LS2
Got something of interest for our Section?
Share it in our newsletter!
If you are a member of the LS2 Section Autophagy, do not hesitate to participate at our section’s newsletter!
Send any information related to your papers, events or job offers to AutophagyLS2@gmail.com and we will be happy to share them with our community!
Autophagy Reports is a peer reviewed, open access journal publishing research on all aspects of autophagic processes.
Co-Editors Daniel J Klionsky and Fulvio Reggiori are excited to announce the launch of a new open access sister journal to Autophagy, introducing Autophagy Reports.
Autophagy Reports is a peer reviewed, open access journal publishing research on all aspects of autophagic processes.It aims for rapid communication of high quality, novel research, which takes a multidisciplinary overview on the fundamental, translational and/or clinical aspects connected to autophagic processes.
Autophagy Reports covers the following topics: autophagic processes (i.e., the lysosome/vacuole-dependent degradation of intracellular material); the connections between autophagy and various aspects of human health and disease including cancer, neurodegeneration, aging, diabetes, myopathies and heart disease. We are interested in all experimental systems, from yeast to plant and human. Suggestions for appropriate specialized topics are welcome.
The journal accepts the following article types:
- Original research (basic science, translational and clinical)
- Reviews and Mini Reviews
- Brief Reports/Rapid Communications
- Technical papers (toolbox, protocol and resource)
- Commentaries and Views
- Puncta
For more information and to submit your manuscript: Autophagy Reports
The Frontiers in Immunology is inviting submissions within the Research Topic: The Autophagy-NETs Axis in Autoimmunity and Innate Immune Dysregulation: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications.
- Summary Deadline: 31 December 2025
- Manuscript Deadline: 20 March 2026
This collection will explore how autophagy and extracellular traps (ETs) shape innate immune regulation, autoimmunity, and therapeutic innovation. Submit your original research, reviews, and perspectives on:
- Mechanistic roles of the autophagy–ETs axis
- Links to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases
- Novel therapeutic strategies (autophagy modulators, ET inhibitors, combination immunotherapies)
- Translational and clinical implications
Accepted formats include original research, reviews, case reports, methods, mini-reviews, and more. Submit your work and contribute to advancing the field!
Congratulations to the Best Poster Prize Winners:
Alicia Borgeaud (University of Bern)
200 Euro sponsored by FEBS Journal
Philippe Jean-Richard (University of Bern)
200 Euro sponsored by FEBS Journal
Anna Siewerth (University of Freiburg, DE)
200 Euro sponsored by Nature Springs Journal Oncogenesis
The meeting was a great success!
We want to thank everyone for joining!
A big thank you to our sponsors for supporting this meeting!
Meeting pictures can be found HERE.
We hope to see you all next time!
Congratulations to Marion Carpentier (Université de Lyon) who was awarded LS2 sponsored prize for the Best Oral Presentation at the the 12th Scientific Days of the Club Francophone de l'Autophagie (CFATG) held on March 19-21, 2025 in Nice.
The meeting was a great success!
We want to thank everyone for joining!
A big thank you to our sponsors for supporting this meeting!
Meeting pictures can be found HERE.
We hope to see you all next time!
More information on the meeting page.
Thank you all for participating and contributing to this great event!
Please have a look at the meeting pictures HERE.
We hope to see you at the next edition!
Poster Prizes: #17 Rosalie HEILIG and #35: Ishita PARUI. €150.- each by the FEBS JOURNAL
Short Talk prize: Alicia BORGEAUD (abstract #5), CHF 200 sponsored by LS2
The LS2 Section Autophagy sponsored the Best Talk and Best Poster Awards during the 11th CFATG Conference in Lyon, France (08-10.11.2023).
Congratulations to awardies!
- Best oral communication - Quentin Frenger - "Role of ATG16L1 partners in B cell receptor trafficking and antigen presentation"
- Best poster - Leslie Andromaque - "Impaired adaptation of the autophagy flux in mature dendritic cells of Crohn’s disease patients expressing ATG16L1 T300A polymorphisms"
The LS2 Section Autophagy sponsored this year a Best Poster Award during the 10th CFATG Conference in Besaçon, France (May 31 - June 02, 2022).
The winner was Noémie Pied
Congratulations!!
The award was given by the past president of the LS2 Section Autophagy and current Vice-president of LS2 Prof. Mario Tschan
Winner of the Best Short Talk: Myra Chavez (University of Bern, CH)
Winners of the Best Poster Prizes:
- 1st prize - Pauline Depierre (University of Lausanne, CH)
- 2nd prize - Jana Elsaesser (University of Freiburg, CH)
Organized in association with GBM Autophagie Studiengruppe and the LS2 section Autophagy 20-22 November 2019
The congress developed 4 main topics : Regulation/Signaling, Physiopathology, Immunology and Infection and Cancer.
The LS2 section Autophagy awarded some participants with travel grants for their participation in this conference.
Find all the information here: https://cfatg9.sciencesconf.org.
12-14 September 2018, University of Bern, Langhans Auditorium
More info HERE.
