Research interests
Why do we sleep at night? What causes jet lag? How can molecules measure time? To answer these and related questions we study biological systems for daily time keeping that are known as circadian clocks. Circadian clocks allow organisms to organize their bodily functions in a daily schedule and keep their internal rhythms in sync with environmental rhythms of light and temperature. We would like to know what genes and molecules are involved in the function of circadian clocks and how they function together to measure time and coordinate biological rhythms.
For our research we use the fruit fly Drosophila as an experimental model. This model system is not only convenient to use, but it also offers powerful tools for conducting genetic, molecular, and behavioural studies. Moreover, as it turns out, studying the molecular mechanisms of the clock in Drosophila not only gives us insights into the basis of daily timekeeping in insect pests, pollinators and disease vectors, it also helps us understand clock function in mammals. A lot of our understanding of the internal clocks of humans has come about based on discoveries made in flies.
Over the years we have worked on:
- Cataloguing clock-controlled transcripts and promoter elements (Neuron 32:657, 2001; PLoS Genet 2:e39, 2006; Nucl Acids res 45:6459, 2017).
- Data analysis methods to detect daily oscillations across independent data sets (Methods Enzymol 393:34, 2005).
- Identification of the separate and combined contributions of environmental light, temperature, and the internal circadian clock in generating daily expression rhythms (PLoS Genet 2:e39, 2006; PLoS Genet 3:e54, 2007)
- The molecular and behavioural determinants of circadian temperature synchronisation (BMC Biol 7:49, 2009; Proc Biosci 281:1793, 2014).
- Development of a new fluorescence/luminescence technique for imaging of molecular circadian rhythms at single-cell resolution (J Biol Rhythms 25:228, 2010).
- Transgenic conditional control of circadian clock function (PLoS Genet 7:e1002167, 2011).
PhD Supervision
Miguel Ramirez-Moreno: Control of Drosophila circadian behaviour by the RHO1-signalling pathway. Gerald Kerkut Charitable Trust
Alex Hull: Developmental control of adult Drosophila sleep/wake rhythms by the conserved transcription factor CLOCK/CYCLE. EU Marie Curie Career Integration Grant
Bethan Shaw: Chronophysiology of Spotted Wing Drosophila. AHDB Horticulture
Charles Hurdle: Multi-functional environmental sensing by CRYPTOCHROME in a Drosophila model. Gerald Kerkut Charitable Trust
Research group
Neuroscience
Affiliate research groups
Plants and Food Security , Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, Computational and Systems Biology, Institute for Life Sciences (IfLS), Southampton Neuroscience Group (SoNG)
Research project(s)
This project aims to provide insight into the molecular basis of behavioural responses to light and magnetic fields in insects.
This project studies how temperature affects daily timekeeping in animals.
This project uses the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to investigate the developmental role of the conserved circadian clock component CLOCK/CYCLE.
This project studies how regulation of cell structure affects daily timekeeping in animals.
Enhancing control of the soft- and stone- fruit pest Drosophila suzukii (Spotted Wing Drosophila) by exploiting its activity patterns in the field.
Dr Herman WijnenSchool of Biological Sciences
Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences
Life Sciences Building 85
University of Southampton
Highfield Campus
Southampton
SO17 1BJ
Room Number: 85/4047
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