RUI: Environment-Induced Plasticity of Circadian Phase, Period, and Waveform

昼夜节律或日常节奏塑造了我们对环境的反应。 控制我们日常节奏的身体系统有多灵活？ 很明显，昼夜节律受到光、暗信号和日长季节变化的强烈影响。 我们将研究哺乳动物昼夜节律系统的可塑性或改变能力。 昼夜节律可以在培养的组织中在许多周期内测量，例如大脑中的视交叉上核（SCN），哺乳动物中昼夜节律系统的主起搏器，以及几种外周组织，例如心脏，肝脏或肺。 SCN和外周组织中的昼夜节律可以通过来自转基因小鼠（mPer2Luc敲入小鼠）的培养组织的光发射或生物发光来测量。 该项目检查响应改变长度光周期或周期长度改变后的光变化的持续时间：黑暗周期，并将确定运动的影响，从而睡眠时间。 这些研究将为哺乳动物昼夜节律的基本问题提供答案。该项目将确定环境变化是否会改变外周器官和SCN在组织培养中分离时的行为，并确定外周器官是否也可以表达由同步化诱导的周期可塑性，以改变光：暗周期。最后，该项目将确定运动是否可以减缓SCN和外周器官的再同步化速度。 这些实验将阐明环境、SCN主起搏器和外周组织中的从属振荡器之间的复杂关系。这些研究将在一所女子本科学院进行，由有前途的女本科生担任领导职务，其中许多人来自代表性不足的少数群体。 学生将由PI指导，因为他们在学年期间进行研究，并通过暑期实习。 参加一个活跃的研究实验室将为有才华的妇女开始科学生涯提供鼓励和培训。

Circadian or daily rhythms sculpt our responses to the environment. How flexible is the body system that controls our daily rhythms? Clearly circadian rhythms are strongly influenced by light:dark signals, and seasonal changes in day length. We will research the plasticity, or ability to change, in the mammalian circadian system. Circadian rhythms can be measured over many cycles in cultured tissues, such as the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) in the brain, the master pacemaker for the circadian system in mammals, and also in several peripheral tissues, such as the heart, liver, or lung. Circadian rhythms in SCN and peripheral tissues can be measured by light emissions, or bioluminescence, from cultured tissues of a transgenic mouse, the mPer2Luc knockin mice. This project examines responses to altered duration of light changes in period or cycle length after altered length light:dark cycles and will determine the effects of exercise and thus sleep time. These studies will provide answers to fundamental questions about circadian rhythms in mammals. The project will determine if environmental changes alter the behavior of peripheral organs and the SCN when they are isolated in tissue culture and will determine if peripheral organs can also express plasticity of period induced by syncrhonization to varied light:dark-cycles. Finally, the project will deternine if exercise can slow the rate of re-synchronization of SCN and peripheral organs. These experiments will clarify the complex relationship between the environment, the SCN master pacemaker, and the slave oscillators in peripheral tissues. These studies will be conducted at an undergraduate college for women, with promising undergraduate women, many from under-represented minority groups, taking leadership roles. Students will be guided by the PI as they conduct research during the academic year and through summer internships. Participation in an active research lab will provide talented women encouragement and training as they begin scientific careers.