Circadian (~24 h) rhythmicity is an evolutionarily conserved property that regulates a variety of fundamental biological processes. Rhythmic gene expression is found in cells, organs, and animals. In mammals, the master pacemaker is located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus. The SCN relays photic information from the retina to the brain to synchronize endogenous rhythms to ambient light/dark cycles. Disruption of the circadian rhythm and body clock function is associated with many human diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, depression, and cancer. We are interested in mRNA translational control mechanisms that regulate the functions of the circadian clock and how dysregulated protein synthesis is involved in clock dysfunction in neurological and psychiatric diseases. We are particularly interested in the role of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling and integrated stress response (ISR) as the potential coupling mechanisms between cell metabolism and the circadian clock. We constantly look for motivated students to join us.
Program Faculty
- Ruifeng (Ray) Cao
- Associate Professor
- Department: Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology
- Graduate Program(s): Cell and Developmental Biology
- Major Research Interest(s): Developmental Biology, Disease genetics, Neuroscience, RNA / ribosome biology, Signaling
- Research Techniques: Biochemistry, Bioinformatics / Computational, Cell culture, Genetics, Imaging
- Research Organism(s): Bacteria, Cell lines, Humans, Mice, Viruses
- Phone: 1.7322354071
- Email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
- RWJMS Research Tower, Room 308
- 675 Hoes Lane West
- Piscataway, NJ 08854-8021
- Key Words: circadian rhythm, autism, depression, mTOR, translational control
- Lab Site URL