Inflammation and body‑clock blood signals linked to shift work
Assessment of Inflammatory Responses and Novel Systemic Signals as Potential Screening Targets of Shift-Work Related Disruption.
This work looks for blood signs of inflammation and circadian disruption in people who do shift work to help spot those at higher risk for cancer, heart disease, or diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Morehouse School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11082516 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be asked to provide blood samples and information about your work schedule so researchers can compare people who do night or rotating shifts with day workers. Lab tests will measure inflammatory markers and novel signals in plasma and will include ex-vivo endotoxin challenges to see how blood immune responses differ. The team will look at how the length of time someone has done shift work changes these signals and links to disease risk. The goal is to find blood-based screening targets that might identify people at higher long-term risk from shift-work related disruption.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults who currently do regular night or rotating shift work and who can give blood and basic work/health history information.
Not a fit: People who have never done shift work or whose conditions are unrelated to inflammation or circadian disruption are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help identify shift workers at higher risk so they can get earlier monitoring or preventive care.
How similar studies have performed: Early lab and initial human work have shown inflammation changes in shift workers, but using specific plasma signals as screening targets is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Morehouse School of Medicine — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Castanon-Cervantes, Oscar — Morehouse School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Castanon-Cervantes, Oscar
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.