Dora Obodo
Department: Chemical & Physical Biology
Faculty Mentor: Jacob Hughey, Ph.D.
Dissertation Description: Mechanisms of Human Circadian Rhythms
Circadian clocks synchronize critical physiological functions with the environment in order to maintain homeostasis. An overt example of this is the feeding/fasting cycle for which clock genes regulate metabolic gene expression to meet energy demands as they change throughout the day. Several aspects of circadian organization and regulation, especially in humans, are still unknown and remain an active area of research. In the Hughey Lab, we develop and apply computational tools to investigate circadian organization at multiple scales. I hope to improve our understanding of the dynamics of circadian gene regulation and how cell-to-cell interactions contribute to differential rhythms throughout the body. In addition, I am interested in studying the signaling pathways downstream of the circadian clock using methods such as mass spectrometry and cytometry.