Chronobiology
Chronobiology is a multidisciplinary branch of
science dealing with study of biological rhythms. The free-running biological rhythms
reflect the endogenous mechanisms of cyclic temporization whose expression is
morphologically seen as an internal clock called body clock.
Biological rhythms
All levels of
biological integration, such as ecosystem, population, group, individual,
organ-system, organ, tissue, cell, and subcellular structures exhibit rhythms
with diverse frequencies. The periods of most of the documented biological
rhythms match with that of any one of geophysical cycles present in the nature
such as ultradian, circadian, infradian or circannual rhythms.
Genetics of
biological rhythms
There are at least nine clock genes that play key
role in the mammalian body clock. The
temporal effect of genetic programming on genome is known as chronome. A branch of
chronobiology dealing with chronome analysis is called chronomics.
Chronobiometry
Chronobiology
can be studied either by use of model systems or by means of autorhythmometry. Chronobiological
data is analyzed by inferential and non-inferential chronobiometry. Bio-rhythmic
data analysis requires special statistical tools due to its complexity.
Chronoptherapy
Chronobiological approach of disease diagnosis and
management has a lot of untapped potential. We need sufficient clinical data to
validate this hypothesis. Most of the life style diseases that we face today
have circadian disruption as the major reason which is not at all considered
during prognosis.
Project details
Registration
options:
By Phone/Email/Registration
by filling out the form at link: http://goo.gl/forms/rHi8gypfxGyzQ03C2
Duration:
12th August 2017 – 12th May 2018
Nature of project
work
Seminars – one interactive session / week on
Saturday 4 – 6 pm
Data collection /
analysis – Minimum
two readings per day for six months on self and/or on volunteers.
Midterm
and final evaluation – Open book test
Project
report submission – Data
compilation and interpretation
Course content (2C / 30 lectures)
Introduction
to Chronobiology (5), Systemic of circadian system (7), Relevance of
rhythmicity in human welfare (4), Chronobiometery (5), Nasal cycle (7), Biological
rhythm as diagnostic tool (2)
Literature
Seminars,
PPTs, Videos, Research articles
Reference book:
Chronobiology – Biological timekeeping; Edited by Dunlap, Loros, &
DeCoursey
Fees: Not uniform / based on interview with the Mentor
Highlights
ü Understanding the dimension of time
in biological systems
ü Firsthand experience of statistical analysis
of biological rhythmic data
ü Work experience at the interface of
research and diagnostic application of biological rhythm
ü Certificate of completion from ICER
