# Identification of Biomarkers Reflecting Homeostatic Sleep Drive

> **NIH NIH F32** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $65,310

## Abstract

Two interacting processes, the circadian clock and a homeostatic sleep drive, which reflects both the
quality and quantity of waking experience, regulate sleep. The circadian clock has been heavily studied and
the molecular process underlying it is well understood. The sleep homeostat, on the other hand, is poorly
understood and our knowledge of the molecular processes governing it is incipient at best. Discovery of the
gene period, which encodes an integral component of the molecular clock and displays oscillatory expression
reflecting normal clock function, allowed for real-time monitoring of the clock's molecular mechanism in vivo
using a bioluminescent luciferase reporter (per-luc). In contrast, the best marker of sleep drive is
electroencephalogram delta band power, which neither completely reflects sleep drive nor serves as a
functional component of the sleep homeostat. Thus, the primary goal of this project is to use a specific set of
parameters defining an ideal homeostatic marker to actually identify markers of homeostatic sleep drive.
 Previous attempts to identify genes with a role in the sleep homeostat through transcriptomics have largely
suffered from a lack of specificity. Substantial changes in gene expression can often be observed in specific
circuits at times when global profiling reveals naught. This proposal leverages the Allada lab's expertise in
gene expression profiling of small, genetically defined populations of neurons to identify transcripts that reflect
changes in homeostatic drive in sleep relevant areas of the fly brain. In addition, I am proposing several novel
strategies to improve detection of homeostatic genes by eliminating circadian influence and manipulating
waking experience prior to homeostatically driven recovery sleep. Candidate transcripts will be subjected to
secondary screening to eliminate genes that do not play a functional role in homeostatic drive. Finally, I
propose to develop novel tools for in vivo monitoring of the molecular process governing sleep drive to facilitate
future inquiry into the mechanisms underlying sleep.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9837335
- **Project number:** 5F32NS110183-02
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Clark Jeffrey Rosensweig
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $65,310
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-12-01 → 2021-05-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9837335

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9837335, Identification of Biomarkers Reflecting Homeostatic Sleep Drive (5F32NS110183-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9837335. Licensed CC0.

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