Research

In mammals, circadian (ca. 24h) clocks in the brain and throughout the body orchestrate daily patterns of physiology and behavior. These daily patterns persist under constant conditions as "circadian rhythms". The Welsh lab studies circadian rhythms in cells using bioluminescence imaging to monitor clock gene expression. We are interested in the autonomy, heterogeneity, and coupling of cellular circadian clocks, particularly the "master" clock cells of the brain, the neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus. We are also interested in how defects in these mechanisms may contribute to sleep and circadian rhythm disorders in humans, including mood disorders.

The McCarthy laboratory is focused on the molecular genetics of mood disorders. Research areas covered include genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms underlying bipolar disorder, major depression, and comorbid conditions like substance abuse and metabolic disease. The laboratory has three main research areas that are currently active: