How microbes influence our body’s internal clock
Official title: Microbial regulation of vertebrate circadian clocks
Funded at University of California Santa Cruz · NIH-11357571 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant studies how microbes may affect the body’s daily rhythms and clock signals using zebrafish to understand human circadian biology.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Santa Cruz NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Santa Cruz, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $384,099 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM147509-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11357571 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with circadian-related health concerns or disorders who could benefit from future circadian-aligned therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals without sleep or circadian rhythm issues may not directly benefit from this basic science.
What this research studies
Researchers will look at how daily microbial changes interact with the cellular clock that controls many genes. They will use zebrafish to observe real-time clock responses in living animals, which helps visualize the timing of cellular signals. The goal is to identify new factors that help entrain our circadian clocks to the environment and how microbes fit into that process.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding microbial effects on circadian rhythms could lead to new ways to improve sleep, metabolism, and overall health by aligning biology with daily cycles.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows circadian clocks are influenced by environmental cues, and this study expands that to microbial interactions in a live model.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kimmey, Jacqueline Misum — University of California Santa Cruz
- Study coordinator: Kimmey, Jacqueline Misum
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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.