In β-thalassemia, during terminal erythroid maturation, excess α-globin chains are the chief culprit in causing ineffective erythropoiesis and hemolysis. Disruption of miR-144/451 increases Cab39/Strad/LKB1 activation of AMPK and increases autophagy of α-globin via activation of the ULK1 autophagy kinase, improving cell survival. Professional illustration by Somersault18:24.