How brain signals and genes control daily body-temperature rhythms
Molecular and Neural Mechanisms of Temperature Preference Rhythm in Drosophila
This project looks at how genes and nerve cells set daily body-temperature cycles to help people with sleep and metabolic problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11249128 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use fruit flies because their temperature choices follow daily rhythms similar to human body temperature cycles. They will change specific genes and watch how flies choose different environmental temperatures across the day and night. The team will map the nerve cells involved and connect fly genes to their human counterparts, including a receptor related to temperature control. Findings will be used to better understand links between body temperature rhythms and sleep and metabolism.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with circadian rhythm, sleep timing, or temperature-regulation problems are the most likely to benefit from advances based on this research.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to circadian biology or temperature regulation (for example, many structural or acute illnesses) are unlikely to see direct benefit from this basic fly research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new targets for treating sleep and metabolic problems tied to disrupted body-temperature rhythms.
How similar studies have performed: Related fruit-fly work has previously identified circadian genes conserved in mammals, so the approach has a strong track record of revealing human-relevant mechanisms.
Where this research is happening
Davis, United States
- University of California at Davis — Davis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hamada, Fumika — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Hamada, Fumika
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 below.