Fred Turek, Ph.D.





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Fred Turek
		Sleep and circadian rhythms, and seasonal reproductive cycles Research in the Turek laboratory is focused on the study of sleep and circadian rhythms, with special interest in identifying genes that regulate sleep and circadian rhythms. Ongoing work on sleep and circadian rhythms includes an investigation of: (1) the neurochemical, molecular, and cellular events involved in the entrainment, generation and expression of circadian rhythms arising from a central biological clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus, (2) the genetics of the circadian clock system and the molecular genetic mechanisms underlying the sleep-wake cycle, (3) the feedback effects of the sleep-wake cycle on the circadian clock regulating the timing of that cycle, (4) the effects of advanced age on the expression of behavioral and endocrine rhythms, and on the expression of circadian clock genes, 5) the links between sleep, circadian rhythms and energy metabolism and, (6) the role of melatonin in modulating sleep and circadian rhythms. In addition to our work on rodents, we have established extensive collaborations with clinical researchers. Studies in humans are aimed at shifting the human clock in an attempt to alleviate mental and physical problems that are associated with disorders in circadian time-keeping, particularly in the elderly and in shift-workers. In addition, we are using both pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to determine if we can reverse the effects of aging on the circadian clock system in both rodents and humans. Our sleep, circadian and metabolic studies are focused on how disruption in these interactions can lead to obesity, diabetes and CVD.
Charles & Emma Morrison Professor Dir., Ctr. for Circadian Biology & Medicine Faculty, Dept. of Psychiatry & Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine PhD, Stanford
e-mail Dr. Turek ph: 847.491.2865 fax: 847.491.5211
	Selected References: • Winrow CJ, Williams DL, Kasarkis A, Millstein J, Laposky AD, et al. (2009). Uncovering the Genetic Landscape for Multiple Sleep-Wake Traits. PLoS ONE 4(4): e5161[PDF] • Turek FW. (2008). Circadian clocks: tips from the tip of the iceberg. Nature. 456(7224): 881-3.[PDF] • Winrow CJ, Turek FW, Renger JJ. (2008). Genetic approaches for target identification in sleep/wake systems. IDrugs. 11(11): 811-6. Review. • Laposky AD, Bradley MA, Williams DL, Bass J, Turek FW. (2008). Sleep-wake regulation is altered in leptin-resistant (db/db) genetically obese and diabetic mice. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 295(6):R2059-66.[PDF]. • Preuss F, Tang Y, Laposky AD, Arble D, Keshavarzian A, Turek FW. (2008). Adverse effects of chronic circadian desynchronization in animals in a "challenging" environment. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 295(6):R2034-40.[PDF] • Paul KN, Turek FW, Kryger MH. (2008). Influence of sex on sleep regulatory mechanisms. Journal of Women's Health. 17(7): 1201-8. • Turek FW. (2008). Staying off the dance floor: when no rhythm is better than bad rhythm. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 294(5):R1672-4. • Koehl M, Meerlo P, Gonzales D, Rontal A, Turek FW, Abrous DN. (2008). Exercise-induced promotion of hippocampal cell proliferation requires beta-endorphin. FASEB J. 22(7):2253-62. • Turek FW. (2007). From circadian rhythms to clock genes in depression. Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 22 Suppl 2:S1-8. Review. • Kohsaka A, Laposky AD, Ramsey KM, Estrada C, Joshu C, Kobayashi Y, Turek FW, Bass J. (2007). High-fat diet disrupts behavioral and molecular circadian rhythms in mice. Cell Metab. 6(5):414-21.[PDF]. • Paul KN, Dugovic C, Turek FW, Laposky AD. (2006). Diurnal sex differences in the sleep-wake cycle of mice are dependent on gonadal function. Sleep. 29(9):1211-23. • Kim Y, Laposky AD, Bergmann BM, and Turek FW. (2007). Repeated sleep restriction in rats leads to homeostatic and allostatic responses during recovery sleep. PNAS vol. 104, no. 25:10697-10702. [PDF]. • Turek FW, Joshu C, Kohsaka A, Lin E, Ivanova G, McDearmon E, Laposky A, Losee-Olson S, Easton A, Jensen DR, Eckel RH, Takahashi JS and Bass J. (2005). Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome in Circadian Clock Mutant Mice. Science, 308:1043-1045.[PDF]		Other Links: • Center for Sleep and Circadian Biology (CSCB) at Northwestern University • NSF Center for Biological Timing • Center for Reproductive Science (CRS) at Northwestern University