This textbook describes the autophagy pathway with all its key molecular mechanisms and its physiological functions from yeast to eukaryotes in a didactic and reader-friendly manner. It provides the most critical aspects that need to be understood to foster research and clinical translation in this area. Autophagy activity, mechanism and control in the context of cellular fate are central to this book, underpinned by human pathologies of priority. Further, key chapters describing major techniques required to assess autophagy activity, and highlighting starting points for the research of potential drug candidates and clinical translation, offer detailed insight into practice and application. The work represents a comprehensive study guide that allows undergraduate and postgraduate students in biology and biomedicine to rapidly engage with the most critical and recent aspects of autophagy in health and its control of disease. Written in a style that may be favourable for its use in the classroom, this book can also serve as a valuable source for teaching in the biomedical and medical sciences.