Sex Differences in the Circadian System
A growing body of evidence indicates significant sex differences in the circadian system, but little is known about how temporal organization of physiology and behavior differs between sexes. Drosophila is a powerful model system in which to study the neuronal basis of sexual dimorphism in timekeeping thanks to its well-characterized circadian clock neuron network and a highly conserved molecular oscillator.
A tale of two neuropeptides
Circadian Clock neurons in both mammals and insects express multiple transmitters, some of which function as local signals across defined synapses while others act as diffusible signals that act over large distances. Our research is focused on studying key peptidergic clock neurons in Drosophila to understand how two neuropeptides released from the same neuron can mediate distinct behavioral and physiological functions.