Center for Circadian Biology 15th Annual Symposium: Biological Time Keeping, Aging, and Disease.

PROJECT SUMMARY Aging is a continuous degenerative process that begins in adulthood and is associated with systemic loss of function and increased risk of neurodegeneration. The circadian clock, which orchestrates the temporal organization of physiology and behavior in 24-hour cycles, regulates the rhythmic expression of up to 40% of the transcriptome and has a fundamental role in aging and longevity. The circadian clock decays with brain aging, which manifests as increased night-time wakefulness, poor sleep efficiency, and reduced amplitudes in body temperature rhythms. Furthermore, the expression of core clock genes decreases and shifts toward advanced phases in the human aging prefrontal cortex. High-amplitude circadian rhythms correlate with well- being and increased lifespan in animal models, while weaker circadian rhythms and fragmented activity patterns precede the development of dementia in older adults. Understanding the crosstalk between aging and the circadian clock and harnessing the power of chronobiology promises novel strategies to support healthy aging, promote longevity, and mitigate cognitive deterioration and disease in the elderly. This proposal requests partial support for the 15th UCSD Center for Circadian Biology Symposium, "Biological Time Keeping, Aging, and Disease,” to be held at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography auditorium in San Diego from March 21 to 22, 2025. The symposium, which attracts approximately 150 attendees worldwide, will focus on chronobiology, aging, and neurodegeneration to define priority topics and advance joint research. The meeting will feature 23 invited speakers, a poster session, and three workshops. The symposium speakers and session chairs are recognized leaders in their areas and were chosen to represent biologists, neuroscientists, chronobiologists, and data scientists specializing in aging to foster new cross-collaborations to advance the field. We aim to attract scientists from diverse backgrounds through targeted advertisement and, with NIH support, to offer travel fellowships to trainees and junior faculty, prioritizing those from under- represented groups. Training aspects of the meeting include four lunch workshops covering tools and data modeling for circadian analysis and aging research, career opportunities, and chronobiology-based work-life balance strategies aimed at supporting trainees and new faculty and to expand their expertise and networks.