Circadian rhythms: how our body clock keeps time and what it means for cancer
Official title: Fundamental properties of circadian rhythms
Funded at University of Cincinnati · NIH-11412679 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies the body’s internal clock to understand how it affects cancer and other diseases, aiming to find ways to align our rhythms with daily life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Cincinnati NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cincinnati, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $380,089 |
| NIH project number | 5R01GM156796-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11412679 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with circadian rhythm disorders or cancers who could benefit from therapies timed to their biological clock.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals without circadian or cancer-related concerns may not experience direct benefits.
What this research studies
Our body’s internal clock controls everyday processes like sleep, body temperature, and cell cycles. The project uses math models, statistical methods, and lab experiments to uncover how the clock’s timing is set and how light can shift it. By linking circadian timing to cellular functions, the researchers hope to identify targets that could improve disease outcomes, including cancer. The work combines theory and hands-on validation to translate clock biology into potential strategies for better health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new ways to optimize treatments and improve health by aligning therapies with a person’s circadian rhythms.
How similar studies have gone: Previous clock biology work has shown that timing affects biology, with emerging strategies to exploit circadian rhythms in treatment.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hong, Christian I — University of Cincinnati
- Study coordinator: Hong, Christian I
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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.