How the body's internal clock works using fungus and mammal cells
Genetic and Molecular Dissection of the Neurospora Clock
Researchers use a model fungus and mammal cells grown in the lab to uncover how the cellular clock controls timing that affects sleep, metabolism, and cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dartmouth College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hanover, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11256720 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your point of view, this research looks at the tiny parts inside cells that keep time and set daily rhythms. Scientists work with the fungus Neurospora and with mammalian cells in culture to see how clock proteins interact, how chemical tags like phosphorylations change those interactions, and whether protein breakdown alters timing. The team focuses on the core transcription–translation feedback loop that is shared across species to find conserved mechanisms. Results aim to connect basic molecular events to problems like sleep trouble, metabolic issues, and cancer risk.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with sleep-wake disorders, shift-work related problems, metabolic conditions, or cancers who are interested in contributing samples or joining future clinical follow-ups would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: Those seeking immediate therapies or whose health issues are unrelated to circadian biology are unlikely to get direct benefit from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal molecular targets or timing strategies that lead to better treatments or prevention for sleep disorders, metabolic disease, and some cancers.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies in fungi and mammalian cells have defined core clock genes and informed clinical ideas like chronotherapy, but the detailed roles of phosphorylation and protein turnover remain active and partly unresolved questions.
Where this research is happening
Hanover, United States
- Dartmouth College — Hanover, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dunlap, Jay C. — Dartmouth College
- Study coordinator: Dunlap, Jay C.
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.