Genetics and Biochemistry of Sleep

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal is to request support for a Keystone Symposia meeting entitled "Genetics and Biochemistry of Sleep", organized by Amita Sehgal, Jay C. Dunlap and Emmanuel Mignot, which will be held in Tahoe City, California from March 7-12, 2008. Sleep is increasingly being recognized as an important area of research that is also relevant for our understanding of other physiological functions. Among recent advances are the identification of genes that contribute to sleep disorders (e.g. narcolepsy, advanced sleep phase syndrome), the development of animal, including invertebrate, model systems for sleep, the discovery of sleep-regulating genes and the demonstration of links between sleep and metabolism. In addition, the serious health consequences of disrupted sleep have been rigorously documented. Major questions now are how the timing and duration of sleep are controlled by the circadian and sleep-promoting homeostatic systems, and what essential functions are served by sleep. The proposed program emphasizes the benefits of a cross- disciplinary approach to address the problems posed above. It also highlights the extent to which sleep impacts other aspects of physiology, and the progress towards understanding the molecular basis of sleep disorders. Sleep is increasingly being recognized as an important area of research that is also relevant for our understanding of other physiological functions (e.g., relationship between the rising obesity epidemic and short sleep times). This symposium brings together researchers at the interface between sleep and circadian biology to probe the underlying mechanisms that drive circadian and homeostatic control of sleep, present possible functions of sleep and provide a forum for new researchers in the area to interact with established investigators and be exposed to prevailing ideas.