Evolution and Function of the Circadian Clock

The circadian clock is a molecular mechanism that drives rhythmic, periodic behavior in almost all organisms on Earth. This clock is why humans experience jet lag, we sleep at particular times, and other regular behaviors during a 24-hour day. The clock is entrained by various environmental signals, with light being among the most common. Our interests in the circadian clock is to understand: (1) the molecular signals that compose the clock in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis (and other marine invertebrates), (2) the type of signals (light and other) that this species responds to when entraining the clock, (3) the evolution of the animal clock from a phylogenomic and functional perspective, and (4) why having a circadian clock would be advantageous to this species. This research integrates behavior, physiology, molecular biology, and comparative genomics.