How the body's internal clock switches genes off
Official title: Mechanisms of Circadian Repression
Funded at Texas A&m University · NIH-11321730 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at how the body's biological clock switches genes off to help people with sleep and circadian rhythm problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, United States) |
| Project start | August 11, 2017 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $364,975 |
| NIH project number | 5R01GM124617-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11321730 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with sleep-wake timing problems, shift-work disorder, chronic jet lag, or other circadian rhythm disorders would be most likely to benefit from these findings.
✕Less likely to help
People without sleep or circadian-related issues are unlikely to see direct benefit from this basic, insect-based research.
What this research studies
Researchers are studying how feedback repression—a process that turns clock-related genes off—keeps daily rhythms in cells. They compare two insect models, the monarch butterfly and the fruit fly, which use related but distinct clock mechanisms to learn how clock proteins like CLOCK, PERIOD, and casein kinase 1 work. The team uses genetic and molecular lab experiments to see how these proteins bind DNA ('on-DNA') and are removed ('off-DNA') to stop gene activity. Insights from these insect models are intended to shed light on the same clock mechanisms in mammals and humans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new targets or strategies for treating sleep and circadian rhythm disorders and other health problems tied to disrupted body clocks.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies in fruit flies and mice have established core clock genes and their roles in daily rhythms, while this project applies a novel monarch butterfly model with single-copy clock genes.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas A&m University
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Merlin, Christine — Texas A&m University
- Study coordinator: Merlin, Christine
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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.