Neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases, are estimated to affect 44 million people worldwide. The accumulation of protein aggregates is a commonly displayed phenotype for patients at different stages of disease progression. Autophagy is a cellular pathway that is capable of clearing extensive protein aggregates. The Zhang group is looking for suitable autophagy activators that may assist in clearing these protein aggregates for potential pharmaceutical applications.