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

昼夜节律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？显然，昼夜节律受到光线的强烈影响：黑暗信号，以及白天长度的季节性变化。我们将研究哺乳动物昼夜节律系统的可塑性或改变的能力。在培养的组织中，昼夜节律可以在许多周期内测量，例如大脑中的视交叉上核(SCN)，哺乳动物昼夜节律系统的主要起搏器，以及几个外周组织，如心、肝或肺。SCN和周围组织的昼夜节律可以通过转基因小鼠mPer2Luc敲门小鼠的培养组织的光发射或生物发光来测量。这个项目研究了光的持续时间改变后，周期或周期长度的变化对光：暗周期的反应，并将确定运动的影响，从而决定睡眠时间。这些研究将为哺乳动物昼夜节律的基本问题提供答案。该项目将确定当周围器官和SCN在组织培养中被分离时，环境变化是否会改变它们的行为，并将确定外围器官是否也可以表现出对不同的光：暗周期同步诱导的一段时间的可塑性。最后，该项目将确定运动是否可以减缓SCN和周围器官的重新同步化速度。这些实验将阐明环境、SCN主起搏器和周围组织中从振荡器之间的复杂关系。这些研究将在一所面向女性的本科学院进行，由有前途的本科生女性担任领导角色，其中许多人来自代表性不足的少数群体。学生将在PI的指导下，在学年期间和暑期实习期间进行研究。参加活跃的研究实验室将为才华横溢的女性在开始科学生涯时提供鼓励和培训。

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.