Body clock and meal timing for healthier aging
Official title: Circadian Rhythm and Lifespan
Funded at Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-11328839 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether eating less and timing meals to the body's daily clock helps mice live healthier, longer lives.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $656,976 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG072736-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11328839 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People concerned about aging or age-related decline could be future beneficiaries or participants in follow-up human studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients needing immediate treatments or those for whom calorie restriction is unsafe (for example, the frail or individuals with eating disorders) are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
Researchers will use mice to separate the effects of calorie reduction from the effects of daily fasting length and alignment with the circadian clock. Mice will be fed under different schedules, including time-restricted feeding during their normal active phase, and their lifespan and health markers will be measured. The team will study circadian genes such as ARNTL/BMAL1 to learn how the body clock interacts with feeding patterns. The work aims to show whether meal timing and fasting together amplify the benefits of eating less.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to simple meal-timing or fasting strategies to help people age more healthily.
How similar studies have gone: Caloric restriction reliably extends lifespan in many species and early studies suggest time-restricted feeding and circadian alignment may add benefit, but the exact mechanisms remain unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
Ut Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Takahashi, Joseph S — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Takahashi, Joseph S
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.