The circadian clock regulates 24-hour endogenous rhythms in gene expression, biochemistry, physiology and behavior of all eukaryotic organisms. This clock is based on a cell autonomous system comprised of transcriptional-translational feedback loops. My laboratory is focused on understanding the molecular basis for the circadian clock in both vertebrate (mouse and mammalian tissue culture) and invertebrate (mosquito) animals. Circadian clock biology is relevant to human health. Dysfunction of the circadian clock underlies several disease states, including Seasonal Affective Disorder, and sleep and metabolic disorders associated with shift-work, including obesity and diabetes. Understanding of the circadian system within the African malaria vector, such as Anopheles gambiae, may allow generation of improved insect control and malaria transmission controls strategies. The lab is interested in elucidating the molecular basis of the circadian clock in the mouse and insects using a range of traditional and state of the art molecular, cellular and behavioral approaches. Our studies are supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), the American Heart Association, the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, the UND Eck Institute for Global Health, the UND Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases, and the University of Notre Dame, and previously by the Royal Society, the Wellcome Trust, the NIMH.
Principal Investigator
Dr. Giles Duffield
Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
Email: duffield.2@nd.edu
Phone: 574-631-1834
Research Interests: Molecular biology of circadian rhythms in mammals and mosquito vectors. Clock control of metabolism.
Lab Members
Duffield Lab pot-luck, April 2015
- Aaron Sheppard, Postdoctoral researcher
- Maricela Robles Murguia, Research associate
- Peng Zhou, Graduate student
- Sandy Duffield, Technician
- Alyssa Hummel, Undergraduate student
- John Werner, Undergraduate student
- David Lee, Undergraduate student
- Gary George, Undergraduate student
- Erin Clark, Undergraduate student
- Emma Cooper, Undergraduate student
- Dominic Acri, Undergraduate student
- Radoslaw Nabrzyski, Undergraduate student
- Anthony Nguyen, Undergraduate student