Subject Area
Biology
Description
Drosophila have circadian rhythms which are daily biological rhythms synchronized by an internal clock. These rhythms regulate behavioral and physiological systems within their bodies. The endogenous fly clock—made of an oscillating gene-protein feedback loop found in central pacemaker cells in the brain— sets endocrine, locomotor, and metabolic rhythms to the 24-hour Earth day The central clock signals to peripheral clocks, setting measurable rhythms. Mutations to these clock genes disrupts the oscillator, resulting in rhythm changes. In this project, we will study how flies’ circadian rhythms and cell respiration in the brain changes with mutations to clock genes. By measuring oxygen consumption in the brain at different times of day, we can plot the flies’ metabolic circadian cycle. This data will allow us to evaluate how alterations in clock function alter brain metabolism. The use of qPCR and locomotion monitors will allow up to plot the cycle of the molecular clock and the rhythm of activity against fly brain cellular activity in normal and mutated flies.
Publisher
Providence College
Date
Spring 4-22-2026
Start Date
4-22-2026 11:00 AM
Type
Poster
Format
Text
.pdf (text under image)
Language
English
