The PI has discovered a unique protein that appears to be essential to the biologic clock which determines daily rythms controlled by the brain. The discovery of the protein came out of work she did at Harvard on the molecular biology of the "period" gene in the Drosophila and its influence on biological rhythms. From this lowly fly brain an exciting generalization has come because the proteins which the Drosophila genes express in neurons are also expressed in the hypothalamus of vertebrate animals. This indicates the vital importance of the gene to brain function as it has been conserved for millions of years. Dr. Siwicki will study the neurons in the brain by applying an antibody she has produced to the protein produced by the gene and study the electrophysiology of the identified neurons to test the biological consequence of neurons containing the protein. This should clarify if cells that produce the product are rythm generators which keep the brain "on time" to coordinate brain function.
