Many organisms have molecular clocks that synchronize their physiological processes into rhythms that coincide with the solar day, providing enhanced evolutionary fitness by optimizing energy utilization and coordinating timing of integrated biochemical processes.

 

Disruption of circadian rhythms in mouse models causes adverse effects by influencing the etiology of psychiatric disorders, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.  By developing a deeper mechanistic understanding of how clocks function at the molecular level, we hope to capitalize on the temporal regulation of physiology to develop new and innovative strategies to treat a broad spectrum of diseases.