Rhythms of Our Body

Few things are as universally experienced as the aftermath of a bad night's sleep. But there is more to it than just feeling tired!

Our sleeping patterns are regulated by our inner clock. This clock aligns us with the 24-hour rhythm of our environment by regulating various processes of our bodies – including the way we think, feel, and act. In her talk, Sara explores how our inner clock interacts with our brains to shape our mental well-being, and how descriptions of this clockwork can relate to mental health difficulties.

You may be aware that your body has a 24h cycle, a circadian rhythm. But did you know that the circadian clock controls the timing of almost every physiological process in almost every living creature, and exists in every cell? In this talk we’ll be exploring how these cell clocks work, how they stay in time with each other, and what happens when this timing is disrupted (spoiler alert – it’s not good, but there is something you can do about it…)

Andrew is a Senior Scientist at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology where he researches molecular mechanisms of the circadian clock in diverse organisms. Previously he has investigated the evolution of the clock under unusual environments as well as examining human sleep and behaviour in world populations.