Studying the biology of the circadian clock
Aarti Jagannath is Associate Professor in Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience at Oxford’s Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute.
Associate Professor Jagannath arrived in Oxford from India to pursue a DPhil. During this time a fascination with circadian rhythms took hold, prompting her to continue her research into understanding the mechanisms that regulate our biological clocks.
‘The circadian clock is present in all life. So, whether you are dealing with bacteria or humans, we're dealing with such a fundamental piece of biology that regulates almost all aspects of life.’
Associate Professor Jagannath has now set up her own research lab at Oxford to investigate the molecular architecture of the circadian clock and how the clock and sleep systems are regulated.
The research looks to answer questions including how our internal clock knows what the time is, and how it picks up light cues from the world and uses this information to set itself to the right time.
What are you currently working on?
Do all living things have a circadian clock?
What does a circadian clock do?
What can disrupt circadian rhythms?
Another focus of the lab's research lies in uncovering how light signals are translated from the eye to specific cells within the brain.
These cells play a pivotal role in activating or deactivating genes, thereby dictating the timing of sleep and other fundamental processes.
‘Because the clock is so important and regulates so many aspects of physiology, we now understand that it really underpins almost all aspects of our health and function.’
The lab is working to uncover the mechanisms by which environmental cues regulate gene expression within these specialised brain cells.
Associate Professor Jagannath hopes to gain insight into how this process cascades through the brain and dictates the balance between sleep, wakefulness and essential bodily functions.
The Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute is widely regarded as one of the foremost institutions in sleep and circadian rhythm studies worldwide.
It serves as a hub, bringing together researchers from diverse scientific backgrounds, including cellular researchers, clinicians, and behavioural therapists.
This collaborative environment fosters an interdisciplinary understanding of sleep and circadian rhythms, allowing researchers to better understand what these processes mean for human health.
Associate Professor Jagannath believes that sleep is the final frontier in neuroscience.
Until recently sleep has remained a mystery; why we sleep and what actually happens in the brain when we sleep.
‘I am hoping the future of the field is where the sleep and circadian communities are not only connected with one another, but where we are connected with broader studies in physiology in general.’
For young researchers entering the field of circadian rhythm research, this is an exceptionally exciting time, as work transitions from the discovery phase, where researchers have sought to understand the nature of the circadian clock, to an era of practical applications.
With the exciting direction the field is heading, funding is essential to ensure a solid foundation for the science and research that leads to the development of clinical applications.
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