Drosophila circadian clock research platform for dietary and genetic regulation studies
A research platform leveraging Drosophila genetics and circadian biology to identify dietary factors and gene-diet interactions that regulate circadian clocks. Combines behavioral assays, defined dietary components, and genetic manipulations to uncover novel regulators of circadian function with implications for metabolism and disease.
Overview
This research platform uses Drosophila as a model organism to systematically identify dietary and genetic factors that regulate circadian clocks. While Drosophila has been foundational in uncovering conserved circadian mechanisms, the role of dietary components and their interaction with genetic factors remains underexplored. The platform addresses this gap by combining precisely controlled diets with powerful genetic tools to reveal how environmental and genetic inputs integrate to control circadian function. Outcomes include identification of novel circadian regulators and a framework for understanding gene-diet interactions relevant to metabolism, physiology, and human disease.
Technical specifications
Key capabilities:
- Circadian behavioral assays to evaluate the effects of defined dietary components, bioactive compounds, and candidate molecules on circadian rhythmicity
- Defined diet manipulation including precise control of nutrients and bioactive compounds
- Genetic tractability through mutants and genetic manipulations of circadian regulators and metabolic pathways
- Dose-response and reproducibility validation for promising dietary candidates
- Molecular and behavioral analyses to define mechanisms of action for selected compounds
- Gene-diet interaction studies integrating dietary interventions with genetic variation to map how environmental and genetic factors jointly modulate clock function
Technology readiness level
The platform is built on established Drosophila circadian biology methods supported by extensive lab expertise. Initial validation studies applying dietary interventions to circadian behavioral assays are planned within approximately one year. Longer-term efforts will combine dietary interventions with genetic manipulations to identify gene-diet interactions, with molecular and behavioral follow-up to characterize mechanisms. The approach is positioned for collaborative sponsored research, pilot engagements, and fee-for-service arrangements to advance discovery of dietary regulators of circadian clocks.
About Tulane University
Tulane University is a private research institution in New Orleans with comprehensive academic breadth and a collaborative, cross-disciplinary culture. Co-located university and medical campuses anchor the city’s healthcare corridor, enabling access to clinicians, patients, and clinical trial infrastructure. Proximity to hospitals, downtown laboratories, and shared core facilities enables rapid collaboration with startups and established firms, while a major primate research center and Gulf Coast field sites expand options for preclinical studies. Research is supported by competitive federal funding from agencies such as NIH, NSF, and DOE, alongside industry-sponsored agreements. A dedicated technology transfer office manages IP, licensing, and startup formation with streamlined contracting and corporate engagement.
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