Identifying and characterising new sleep genes

We use aim to use a combination of traditional model organisms, as well as functional genomic, behavioural, molecular, and circuit based techniques to characterise novel sleep genes identified through our evolutionary comparisons.

Both zebrafish and mice are powerful model organisms for studying the neurobiological roles for genes and genetic perturbations. Genomic comparisons between species can identify genes and genetic mutations associated with differences in sleep-related behaviours, which can than be further characterised in these highly tractable model species. Identification and characterisation of these genes may lead to fundamental insights into human biology and disease etiology.