In this episode of humanOS Radio, Dan talks to Mimi Shirasu-Hiza. Mimi is an associate professor of Genetics and Development at Columbia University. Her lab uses circadian mutants of fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) to unveil the molecular mechanisms that underlie circadian-regulated physiology.
Mimi and colleagues hypothesized that this collection of short-sleeping mutants might also share a common physiological defect due to their reduced sleep – independent of the specific mechanisms that drive that sleep reduction. And if they could find such a defect, surely that could shed light on the core function of sleep.
References
HumanOS. October 10, 2018.). Sleep: An antioxidant for the brain. https://blog.humanos.me/sleep-an-antioxidant-for-the-brain/
