Understanding Life’s Perfect Timing

From the smallest fruit fly to humans, all life operates on an intricate schedule. Our laboratory explores one of biology’s most fundamental questions: How do organisms synchronize their internal clocks with the rhythms of our planet? For nearly two decades, we’ve been decoding the molecular mechanisms that govern biological timing, from daily circadian rhythms to seasonal adaptations.

Our Research Programs

Molecular Evolution of Circadian Clock Genes

How genetic variation shapes daily rhythms

Natural populations harbor remarkable genetic diversity in their circadian clock genes, and we’re discovering how this variation drives adaptation and evolution. Using Drosophila melanogaster as our model system, we’ve uncovered fascinating examples of how clock genes evolve under natural selection.

Key Discovery: We identified how recent mutations in the timeless gene enabled fruit flies to rapidly colonize Europe, providing a textbook example of directional selection in action. Our work has also revealed cryptochrome gene variants that represent molecular adaptations maintained by balancing selection—essentially, nature’s way of keeping multiple “solutions” in the population.

Why it matters: These findings demonstrate that biological clocks are not just passive timekeepers but active drivers of evolutionary change and species adaptation.

Photoperiodism and Seasonal Timing

Decoding nature’s calendar

Many organisms use the gradual changes in daylight throughout the year as a reliable calendar to time seasonal behaviors like migration, reproduction, and hibernation. Our laboratory has made groundbreaking discoveries in understanding how this “photoperiodic” timing system works at the molecular level.

Breakthrough Research: We were the first to establish a molecular link between the circadian clock and photoperiodism in Drosophila, revealing how the same genes that control daily rhythms also govern seasonal responses. This dual-function discovery has reshaped our understanding of biological timing systems.

Novel Mechanism: In our studies of the parasitic wasp Nasonia, we discovered that DNA methylation—a chemical modification of DNA—plays a crucial role in seasonal timing. This represents the only known example of DNA methylation controlling photoperiodism in insects, opening new avenues for understanding epigenetic regulation of seasonal behavior.

Genetics of Diurnal Preference and Chronotype

Why some people are night owls and others are early birds

Are you naturally a “morning person” or a “night owl”? This individual preference for daily activity timing, called chronotype, varies dramatically both within and between species. Our laboratory has spent the last decade unraveling the genetic basis of these differences.

Research Approach: By studying wild Drosophila populations that exhibit extraordinary chronotype variation, we’ve identified candidate genes through comprehensive gene expression analyses. Our flies range from extreme “morning” types to dedicated “night shift” individuals.

Surprising Discovery: We’ve demonstrated that gut microbiome composition influences chronotype—not just in flies, but in humans too. We’ve identified specific bacterial taxa that differ between “morning” and “evening” people, suggesting that the trillions of microbes in our gut may be helping to set our daily schedules.

Current Research Frontiers

Mapping the Genetics of Chronotype

We’re currently using unique D. melanogaster strains developed through artificial selection to exhibit extreme diurnal or nocturnal behaviors. These specialized strains are being analyzed through quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, combining classical genetics with cutting-edge genomics to pinpoint the exact genes controlling chronotype.

The Microbiome-Circadian Connection

Our most exciting current discovery involves the causal role of gut bacteria in determining chronotype. We can actually change a fly’s daily activity pattern by enriching their gut microbiota with specific bacterial strains. We’ve identified short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), particularly butyrate, as key molecular signals in this process.

Future Vision: We’re developing an in vitro experimental system to study microbiome-circadian interactions in gut tissue, aiming to uncover the complete molecular signaling pathways involved.

Population Genomics and Natural Selection

As active members of DrosEU, a European consortium for Drosophila population genomics, we contribute to generating massive genomic datasets across European populations. This work has revealed numerous candidate loci, including clock genes, that show geographic patterns likely driven by natural selection. We’re now testing how this molecular variation affects circadian function in the real world.

Why This Research Matters

Understanding biological timing has profound implications for:

• Human Health: Chronotype research informs personalized medicine and treatment timing
• Agriculture: Photoperiodism research helps optimize crop timing and pest control
• Evolution: Clock gene studies reveal how organisms adapt to changing environments
• Conservation: Seasonal timing research helps predict species responses to climate change

Publications & Resources

Explore our complete research output on our Google Scholar profile or browse selected publications within each research area above.

Want to learn more about our research or explore collaboration opportunities? Contact us to discuss how biological timing research might intersect with your interests.

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