Human muscle clock-gene platform for screening circadian-active bioactives
A novel platform for screening dietary bioactives impacting circadian clock genes in human muscle cells, offering a mechanism-level alternative to traditional models.
Overview
The human muscle clock-gene platform is designed to screen dietary bioactives for their impact on circadian clock genes in human skeletal muscle cells. This platform builds on prior research that demonstrated the ability of certain bioactives, like resveratrol, to restore core clock-gene expression and reduce mitochondrial oxidative stress. By leveraging human muscle tissue, this platform provides a complementary mechanism-level screening method alongside traditional behavioral models, aiming to discover bioactives that influence circadian rhythms and metabolic processes.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Utilizes primary human skeletal myotubes for screening, focusing on clock genes such as BMAL1, PER1-3, CLOCK, and NPAS2.
- Incorporates a validated live-cell HiBiT reporter assay with JTK_CYCLE rhythmicity analysis for real-time tracking of circadian activity.
- Capable of dose-response screening and functional metabolic readouts, including human glucose uptake assays.
- Adaptable for complex botanical extracts and scalable for medium-throughput screening.
Technology readiness level
The platform is currently at Technology Readiness Level 4, indicating that it has been validated in a laboratory setting. The next phases of development include establishing reproducibility across different donors and scaling up the screening process for broader integration into circadian research pipelines.
About University of Aberdeen
Founded in 1495, the University of Aberdeen is a comprehensive public research university in northeast Scotland, serving a mid-sized international student body. Industry engagement is enabled by the Foresterhill health campus, where researchers share a site with NHS Grampian to support clinical studies and rapid translation. Its position in the North Sea energy and offshore engineering cluster offers companies access to faculty expertise, relevant test facilities, and a talent pipeline with industrial placement experience. Research is supported by competitive awards from UK Research and Innovation councils and major UK charities, with additional support from Innovate UK and European programs. A dedicated technology transfer office supports IP, licensing, and spin‑outs, with access to incubator space and investor networks.
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