Impacts of Sleep and Circadian Biology on Alzheimer's Disease and Aging: A Focus on Genetics and Genomics

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PROJECT SUMMARY An emerging area of investigation is the relationship between aging, sleep and circadian rhythm, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression. For example, the AD hallmark of Aβ aggregation is associated with changes in sleep- wake patterns and circadian-related metabolism. As these changes occur years prior to clinical manifestations of AD, they may be early events in AD. To understand this relationship, the fields of sleep/circadian biology and AD are taking similar strategies that include genetic and biomarker studies in humans and model organisms such as the mouse, and research is converging on recent advances in genomic technologies (e.g., single-cell RNA-seq and epigenomics) that allow more precise description of molecular and cellular changes that occur as a function of age, sleep/circadian rhythm, and AD progression. As studies in these fields are at the nascent and critical stage of intersection, we recognize an unmet need for investigators in sleep/circadian biology to learn from their colleagues in AD, and vice versa. Currently, no conference in the aging/AD field incorporates sleep/circadian biology, let alone focuses on genetics, genomics, and computational biology approaches. To fill this gap, we propose the unique and timely interdisciplinary conference “Impacts of Sleep and Circadian Biology on Alzheimer’s Disease and Aging: a Focus on Genetics and Genomics” to ignite interactions among a focused group of scientists and trainees from these fields and to foster future collaborations. We propose an annual, intensive 3-day conference beginning in October, 2021 at The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, ME. We will bring together 50 scientists -- graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior and senior investigators -- from the fields of aging/AD, neurodegeneration, genetics of sleep/circadian biology, genetics, and computational biology. In Aim 1, we will organize this interdisciplinary conference on sleep/circadian biology and AD with a focus on genetic and genomic approaches. Invited speakers and session topics will represent a variety of disciplines that aim to solve questions related to AD. Each day a morning seminar will introduce trainees in the AD field to the fundamentals of sleep/circadian biology and advanced computational approaches in genetics and genomics while a hands-on afternoon workshop will focus on 'omics' analyses to spur the trainees' own research. In Aim 2, we will promote interactions that foster collaborative research and career advancement. We will include breaks and a poster session as opportunities for free-form discussions as well as devote one workshop to career development, including grantsmanship and ethics. To foster inclusive and creative science, in Aim 3 we will focus on recruitment of diverse attendees, utilizing our partnership societies and networks to recruit underrepresented minority and disadvantaged attendees, as well as offering scholarships to those who qualify and are in need. We anticipate that the conference and workshops will cross-pollinate the fields of sleep/circadian biology and AD and seed new collaborations while equipping the next generation of AD and sleep/circadian biology researchers with the ability to harness advanced computational approaches in their research.