Meal timing and the mTOR system in the body's daily clock
Regulation of circadian physiology by rhythmic food intake and the mTOR pathway
Explores how when you eat changes daily gene activity through the mTOR pathway, which can influence metabolism, heart health, and cancer risk.
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 ID | NIH-11290334 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, this project looks at how daily feeding patterns change the body's internal clock and gene activity, with a focus on the mTOR molecular pathway. The work uses laboratory experiments (primarily in mouse liver) where researchers alter feeding schedules and measure rhythmic gene expression and molecular signals. The team has preliminary data showing feeding rhythms control thousands of liver genes even when the core clock keeps running, and they will map which genes are driven by feeding versus the clock. The goal is to better understand links to metabolism, cardiovascular problems, and cancer so timing of treatments or meals might be improved in the future.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, or cancer who are interested in how circadian rhythms or meal timing affect their condition would find this most relevant.
Not a fit: Those without metabolic, cardiac, or cancer-related issues or those uninterested in circadian or feeding-pattern effects are less likely to see direct benefits.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal meal-timing or drug-timing approaches that improve metabolism and reduce cardiovascular or cancer-related risks.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal studies, including the group's preliminary mouse data, have shown feeding rhythms alter large sets of genes, but applying these findings to human treatments is still early and novel.
Where this research is happening
College Station, United States
- Texas A&m University — College Station, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Menet, Jerome — Texas A&m University
- Study coordinator: Menet, Jerome
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.