NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology: Investigating a Novel Circadian Time-Keeping Mechanism Revealed by Environmental Manipulation

这一行动资助了NSF 2023财年生物学博士后研究奖学金，扩大了生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。该研究金支持一项针对该研究员的研究和培训计划，该计划将增加生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。在动物中，许多基本的生物功能，包括睡眠、活动和进食，每天都有24小时(昼夜节律)。这些节奏是由体内生物钟控制的。在哺乳动物中，计时系统是复杂的，大脑和身体都有多个时钟。大多数研究都集中在大脑中的中央时钟--视交叉上核(SCN)，它与外部明暗环境同步。但人们对其他时钟及其计时机制知之甚少。这位同事和他的同事有证据表明，操纵光线可以挽救SCN功能中断的小鼠的日常节律。通过这项研究，这位研究员将确定这个时钟在大脑中的位置和机制。这项研究的结果将促进我们对昼夜节律计时机制的理解。该研究金将提供昼夜节律和神经解剖学方面的培训，并提供机会计划和协调外展活动，以向来自不同背景的年轻一代学习者推广科学知识。这个项目将探索一种新的非正则时钟机制在产生昼夜节律中的作用。这位研究员将研究一个动物模型，在该模型中，典型的昼夜节律被禁用。这个模型是一个特殊的工具，通过筛选大脑中表现出昼夜节律的区域来发现SCN外起搏器(S)的位置。这位研究员将使用c-Fos表达的全脑成像来绘制新的昼夜节律神经回路。此外，该研究人员还将在药理学上操控多巴胺信号，以研究在缺乏典型时钟基因的情况下，多巴胺在驱动昼夜节律方面的作用。该培训计划以两种方式增加了未被充分代表的群体在生物学领域的参与度。首先，培训计划将培养研究员的研究兴趣，同时促进个人和专业发展，成为一名独立的研究员。其次，这个项目的影响将通过分享昼夜节律的知识和通过教育推广来实施这个项目所获得的经验来扩大，这将赋予科学领域中未被充分代表的人权力。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2023, Broadening Participation of Groups Underrepresented in Biology. The Fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. In animals, many essential biological functions, including sleep, activity, and feeding have daily 24-h (circadian) rhythms. These rhythms are controlled by internal body clocks. In mammals, the time-keeping system is complex with multiple clocks located in the brain and the body. Most studies have focused on the central clock in the brain, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which synchronizes with the external light-dark environment. But little is known about the other clocks and their time-keeping mechanism. The fellow and colleagues have evidence that manipulation of light can rescue daily rhythms in mice with disrupted SCN function. Through this research, the fellow will identify the location in the brain and the mechanism of this clock. Results from this study will advance our understanding of the circadian time-keeping mechanism. The fellowship will provide training in circadian rhythms and neuroanatomy and opportunities to plan and coordinate outreach activities to extend scientific knowledge to a young generation of learners from diverse backgrounds.This project will explore the role of a novel non-canonical clock mechanism in generating circadian rhythms. The fellow will study an animal model in which the canonical circadian rhythm is disabled. This model is an exceptional tool to discover the locus of the extra-SCN pacemaker(s) by screening the brain for areas that exhibit circadian rhythms. The fellow will map novel circadian neural circuits using whole-brain imaging of c-Fos expression. In addition, the fellow will pharmacologically manipulate dopamine signaling to investigate the role of dopamine in driving circadian rhythms in the absence of canonical clock genes. The training plan increases the participation of underrepresented groups in biology in two ways. First, the training plan will foster the fellow’s research interests while improving personal and professional development to become an independent researcher. Second, the impact of this project will be broadened by sharing knowledge of circadian rhythms and the experience gained in conducting this project through educational outreach that will empower underrepresented people in science.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.