NSF Award
2416046
Biological rhythms permeate all aspects of the kingdom of life, coordinating almost every aspect of biology. The broad reach of biological rhythms makes its study, termed chronobiology, one of the fundamental “rules of life” on our planet. Given the vital role of biological rhythms across the natural world, the study of chronobiology is essential to all major questions in the field of biology. Concordantly, chronobiology is widely investigated by a diverse group of researchers who employ a broad range of model organisms and technical approaches. The largest society of chronobiologists is the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms (SRBR), whose primary mission is to connect researchers in the rhythms field and disseminate their research to the public. To fulfill this role, SRBR hosts a biannual meeting, where its members gather to learn about the most novel and exciting aspects of rhythms research. The upcoming iteration of this meeting, “SRBR 2024: Timing from Cells to Clinics”, will provide an opportunity to integrate new disciplines into established paradigms and educate trainees on how to ask the right questions in rhythms research. Therefore, the purpose of this project is to support the professional development and training opportunities at SRBR 2024 for junior scientists in biological rhythms and increase participation from populations with different lived experiences to expand the scope of our research community. This project will enable early career-specific seminars, networking opportunities, and support the attendance of scientists from a variety of lived-experiences. <br/><br/>Given the vital role of biological rhythms across the natural world, the study of chronobiology is essential to all major questions in the field of biology. The Society for Research on Biological Rhythms (SRBR) was established to enhance and advocate for chronobiological research, a mission which is impart fulfilled via its biannual conference. The theme of SRBR 2024, “Timing from Cells to Clinics”, reflects the diverse nature of the field, which has enabled the creation of a multi-faceted program. With the breadth of research at SRBR 2024, support for the training aspects of this meeting presents two primary broader impacts. First, SRBR 2024 widely disseminates the most recent research in the field of chronobiology. Second, the confluence of so many experienced researchers offers the opportunity to train the junior members of the chronobiology field in both research and professional development. This project will enable that mission by supporting a Trainee and Professional Development Day/Junior Faculty Workshop, mentoring sessions throughout the conference, and networking events that will allow first time students to interface with senior researchers in the field. In addition, this project funds trainees that otherwise could not attend the conference by providing competitive/merit-based fellowships to eligible trainees, ensuring that our trainee pool reflects the societies’ goal of enhancing and advocating for equity and diversity of in lived experiences.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
