Assess graduate-level understanding of mammalian autophagy focusing on initiation and autophagosome biogenesis: key molecular players (e.g., ULK1 complex, class III PI3K complex, ATG conjugation systems, LC3 lipidation), membrane sources and phagophore expansion, closure and maturation, and regulation by signaling pathways (mTOR, AMPK, growth factors, stress); include conceptual interpretation of common experimental readouts.