The Importance of Molecular Circadian Rhythms in Health and Disease

Dear Colleagues

A variety of an organism’s behaviors and physiological and biochemical processes occur across a span of 24 hours. A diverse range of species developed an internal time keeping system that allows the organisms to better adapt to daily variations, known as the biological clock system. On a molecular level, this clock, present in almost every tissue in mammals, is based on an autoregulatory transcription–translation feedback loop comprising clock genes/proteins. From sleep–wake cycles to hormone secretion or even foraging and activity schedules, many biological functions are associated with this scale of rhythmicity. Recently, it has been recognized that circadian rhythms play important roles in both daily physiological processes and disease mechanisms, namely cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. In fact, the dysfunction or misalignment of the circadian clock can increase the risk of disease and influence treatment responses.

Thus, this Special Issue will focus on elucidating body clocks and clock dysregulation. In addition, it intends to highlight novel findings on molecular clock manipulation in order to prevent and treat diseases.

Dr. Telma Quintela
Dr. Diana Rita Barata Costa
Guest Editors

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• molecular clock
• circadian dysfunction
• health
• chronotherapy
• circadian rhythms