There are numerous examples of pathogens evading and exploiting host cell biology to promote their pathogenesis. It is likely that the autophagic response to intracellular pathogens is no exception. We suspect that L. monocytogenes has acquired the means to avoid or circumvent autophagy by yet undiscovered mechanisms. This is an area of current interest in the lab. We hope to gain a better understanding of how bacterial pathogens have evolved to recognize and evade host cellular processes.