How organ-level body clocks keep your daily rhythms
Fundamental Mechanisms of Higher-Order Circadian Rhythms
Looking at how tiny cell 'clocks' in organs work together to keep people’s daily rhythms steady.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Science Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Antonio, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11176830 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This program focuses on the many internal clocks throughout the body, not just the brain, and asks how they synchronize to produce regular daily rhythms. The team uses genetically engineered mice and single-cell laboratory techniques to watch how individual liver cells and other peripheral cells tick over time. They combine molecular experiments with computer analyses to see how noisy or imperfect single-cell clocks add up to a reliable organ-level rhythm. Ultimately the work aims to reveal how clocks in different tissues talk to each other to support whole-body timing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with circadian rhythm or sleep-timing problems, shift-work related issues, or metabolic timing concerns would be the most relevant group to follow or potentially take part in future related studies.
Not a fit: Patients seeking an immediate treatment benefit should note this is basic lab research using mouse and cell models and will not provide direct therapies now.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help improve sleep, metabolic health, and the timing of medications by revealing how to better align body clocks.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has mapped peripheral clocks and shown they matter for health, but using single-cell methods and organ-to-organ coupling to explain whole-body timing is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
San Antonio, United States
- University of Texas Hlth Science Center — San Antonio, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Koronowski, Kevin B — University of Texas Hlth Science Center
- Study coordinator: Koronowski, Kevin B
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.