The body's internal clock and how it manages nutrients
Circadian clock and temporal control in nutrient metabolism
This research looks at how our body's natural daily rhythms, or 'circadian clock,' influence how our muscles process food and maintain their strength, especially when these rhythms are disrupted.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Duarte, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11123244 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Our bodies have an internal clock that guides many processes, including how we use the food we eat. When this clock is out of sync, like with shift work, it can lead to issues such as insulin resistance and weight gain. This project explores how our muscle's own internal clock specifically manages how our body uses proteins and maintains muscle mass. We've found that disrupting this muscle clock can lead to muscle weakness and problems with how our body responds to insulin, suggesting a direct link between our daily rhythms and muscle health.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research is foundational, but future studies might involve individuals experiencing muscle weakness, insulin resistance, or those with disrupted sleep-wake cycles due to conditions like shift work.
Not a fit: Patients not experiencing issues with muscle metabolism or circadian rhythm disruption would likely not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to prevent or treat muscle wasting and insulin resistance, especially for people whose daily rhythms are often disrupted.
How similar studies have performed: While the general link between circadian rhythms and metabolism is known, this specific focus on the muscle-intrinsic clock's role in protein metabolism and PI3K-Akt-mTORC1 signaling is a novel area of exploration.
Where this research is happening
Duarte, United States
- Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope — Duarte, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ma, Ke — Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope
- Study coordinator: Ma, Ke
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.