Autophagy is a fundamental biological process that impacts nearly all facets of human health, including a number of age-related diseases, such as neurodegeneration, cancer, infection and immunity, inflammation and allergy, metabolic diseases and diabetes, muscle atrophy, as well as the aging process itself. The growing realization of the broad impact of autophagy in human health is in part the result of vigorous scientific exchange facilitated by previous Gordon Research Conferences on autophagy. The 2018 GRC meeting on autophagy will be instrumental in communicating the newest molecular insights of the role and regulation of autophagy in aging and age-related disorders, with the goal of facilitating translation of the presently acquired knowledge into drugs and novel treatments for such diseases.