Research
The lab’s published research moves from molecular clock mechanisms to systems-level transcriptional programs and human translational studies, with a consistent emphasis on reusable methods, public data resources, and clinical questions in Human Genetics.
Theme 1
Foundational work from the lab helped define the mammalian clock at the level of transcription factors and feedback architecture. This includes discovery and characterization of BMAL1/MOP3, work on NPAS2 and related PAS-domain clock components, and mechanistic studies of how core clock factors regulate downstream transcription.
Theme 2
The lab has used genome-scale experimental designs to define the breadth of rhythmic transcription across tissues and organs. This work established the mammalian circadian transcriptome as a large, tissue-specific regulatory system rather than a narrow set of canonical clock genes.
Theme 3
A major part of the lab’s scientific footprint is methodological. JTK_CYCLE, PSEA, MetaCycle, CYCLOPS, CYCLOPS2, and CircaDB were all built to make rhythmic data more interpretable, more reproducible, and more broadly usable by the field.
Theme 4
Published human transcriptomics from the lab extended circadian biology into translational settings. This work showed that time-of-day structure can be recovered from human tissues at scale and can inform how physiology, pharmacology, and clinical practice are interpreted.
Theme 5
Through Human Genetics at Cincinnati Children’s, the lab also studies circadian and sleep phenotypes in rare genetic disease. Published work from this program includes Smith-Kingsmore syndrome, linking clinical phenotyping to molecular and cellular analysis in a translational genetics setting.
Current work in this area is also supported by the DLG4 SHINE Foundation. Because SHINE-related studies are ongoing, the site links the foundation here as a current funding and community partner without describing unpublished results.
Related Programs and
Foundations

Human Genetics at Cincinnati Children’s · Published Smith-Kingsmore syndrome study · Smith-Kingsmore Syndrome Foundation · DLG4 SHINE Foundation
Selected Publications for landmark papers.
Resources for tools, databases, and public datasets.