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

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.