Spautin-1 is primarily used in biomedical research for its ability to inhibit autophagy, a cellular degradation process. By blocking the activity of USP10 and USP13, two deubiquitinating enzymes involved in stabilizing the Beclin1-VPS34 autophagy complex, Spautin-1 promotes the degradation of key autophagy proteins. This makes it a valuable tool for studying autophagy-related pathways in cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and infection biology. Researchers use Spautin-1 to investigate how suppressing autophagy affects tumor cell survival, as some cancer cells rely on autophagy to endure stress and resist chemotherapy. It has also been explored in virology to understand how autophagy influences viral replication. Due to its specific mechanism, Spautin-1 helps elucidate the role of autophagy in cellular homeostasis and disease progression, supporting the development of targeted therapies.