Viewpoint

Our understanding of the basic mechanisms of autophagy is growing, but many questions remain about the types of autophagy cells use, when they use them, and how they function in different contexts. We asked emerging and established leaders in the field to discuss the questions and areas that they are most excited about to deepen our understanding of autophagy.

As Nature Cell Biology turns 25 years old, we asked cell biologists across the globe to share their thoughts on what a productive mentor–mentee relationship looks like and their views on training the next generation of cell biologists.

Biomolecular condensation of macromolecules is an increasingly important concept in cell biology. Indeed, research on condensates touches on multiple areas of research, from biochemistry to biophysics and from organelles to cell polarity. We asked experts at the forefront of this field to comment on what excites them most regarding biomolecular condensation, as well as on current challenges, priorities and needs for the functional study of condensates.

Since stem cells were first discovered, researchers have identified distinct stem cell populations in different organs and with various functions, converging on the unique abilities of self-renewal and differentiation toward diverse cell types. These abilities make stem cells an incredibly promising tool in therapeutics and have turned stem cell biology into a fast-evolving field. Here, stem cell biologists express their view on the most striking advances and current challenges in their field.

Imaging technologies drive discovery in cell biology. Innovations in microscopy hardware, imaging methods and computational analysis of large-scale, complex datasets can increase imaging resolution, definition and allow access to new biology. We asked experts at the leading edge of biological imaging what they are most excited about when it comes to microscopy in cell biology and what challenges need to be overcome to reach these goals.