Laboratory Profile
Principal Investigator: Sebastian Kadener
A systemic view of circadian clocks: from gene expression to
neuronal networks and behavior.
Location: Silberman Wing 2, 3rd. floor Room 1-322
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E.Mail: skadener@gmail.com
Phone: 02- 6585099
Web: http://kadenerlab.huji.ac.il/
Brief Description of Research:
Circadian (24hs) rhythms in locomotor
activity (sleep/wake cycles) are one of the best-characterized behaviors at the
molecular, cellular and neural levels. Circadian clocks keep time by using a very
sophisticated molecular machinery that includes transcriptional, post-trancriptional, as
well as translational and post-translational regulations. In addition the circadian
neurons in the brain are organized in a network and this organization is key for keeping
a synchronous and coherent circadian clock. Our lab aims to integrate all the levels of
regulation by using a multidisciplinary innovative approach that include beyond the
state of the art techniques from the fields of Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, Genomics,
Genetics and System Biology (for details see website).
Techniques used include: Molecular biology (cloning, mutagenesis,
analysis of gene expression, development of strategies to build complex
libraries for high-throughput sequencing, Chip-seq and others); RNA
biology (RNA immunoprecipitation, PAR-CLIP, and others). Genetics of
Drosophila. Behavioral assays of locomotor activity and videotaping of
behavior. In vivo monitoring of transcriptional activity from alive flies (by
luciferase) or cultured brain (live imaging using confocal microscopy).
Analysis of miRNA expression and activity (by in situ hybridization, use of
reporters, fluorescent sensors, RT-PCR, next generation sequencing, AGOimmunopurification). Genome wide screenings in drosophila cells by
dsRNAs using high-throughput live microscopy. Immunocytochemistry and
in situ hybridization in cells and drosophila brains and many other
techniques.
Proposed Research Projects:
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Topic: Interplay between molecular and neural mechanisms generating
robust circadian rhythms in Drosophila and in mammalian cells.
Topic: Role of non-coding mRNAs in the generation and maintenance of
circadian rhythms in the Drosophila brain.