Nicola Smyllie

The focus of my research is studying how daily rhythms in physiology are coordinated by the principal circadian clock of the brain, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). I combine intersectional genetics and confocal time-lapse imaging approaches to study the dynamics of “clock proteins”, following them in time and space within the context of the SCN timekeeping. By probing the circadian clockwork at this fundamental cellular-molecular level, the aim is to better understand the mechanisms that contribute to maintaining a healthy and robust circadian system, and thus inform interventions for when it goes wrong.