How skin and eye cells use light to sync the body clock
The mechanism of extra-visual circadian photoentrainment in mammals
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · NIH-11248739
This project looks at how light-sensitive proteins in skin and the retina help reset local body clocks, which could help people with sleep timing problems or shift work effects.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (SEATTLE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11248739 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
The researchers will focus on a light-sensitive protein called Opn5 found in skin and retinal cells and study how those cells respond to short-wavelength light. They will use cell cultures and mammalian tissue models to trace the internal signals Opn5 uses inside cells. The team will also look for small, diffusible signals released by Opn5-expressing cells that could communicate time-of-day information to neighboring tissues. Results will map the pathways that let surface tissues follow environmental light independently of the brain's central clock.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with sleep timing disturbances, frequent jet lag, or shift-work related sleep problems would be most likely to benefit from future therapies based on this work.
Not a fit: Patients whose sleep problems come from unrelated causes (for example untreated sleep apnea, severe psychiatric illness, or certain genetic disorders) may not benefit from findings focused on light-driven clock signaling.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new ways to treat or prevent circadian rhythm problems like jet lag, shift-work disorder, or sleep timing issues.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have shown Opn5 can make skin and retina respond to light, but the idea that these cells release diffusible signals to coordinate nearby clocks is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
SEATTLE, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON — SEATTLE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: BUHR, ETHAN D — UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- Study coordinator: BUHR, ETHAN D
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.