Clocks, Sleep and Metabolism

The circadian system and sleep-wake rhythms are closely interconnected. Clocks in the brain control when we are tired or alert. Furthermore, how our body deals with sleep loss depends on the function of our clock machinery. On the other hand, sleep can act as a timing signal to reset molecular clocks and sleep and clocks together regulate various physiological processes - particularly in the context of food intake and energy metabolism. We are interested in the underlying mechanisms. We were able to show that a shift in the sleep phase in mice disrupts circadian transcriptome rhythms in liver and white adipose tissues. How this effect is mediated on the molecular level is in the focus of current experiments in the lab.

 

Ongoing projects:

- Central circadian gating of metabolic signals in the control of energy metabolism.

- Circadian modulation of endocrine action in hormone target tissues.

 

Selected References: