Chronobiology Core

The Chronobiology Core within the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders (DSCD) at Brigham and Women's Hospital provides a central resource for trained personnel specialized in procedures used in studies of circadian rhythmicity, as well as specialized equipment and supplies.  The purpose of the Core is to simplify new-study start-up for Investigators, reduce the costs for Investigators who do not need full-time personnel to conduct their studies by sharing the time of personnel among studies, and provide a centralized pool of trained personnel available to investigators conducting studies of human circadian rhythms.

The Chronobiology Core consists of a Director, a Specimen Coordinator/Research Assistant, Clinical Investigative Technicians (variable number), students (variable number), and depending on the size of the technical staff a Chief Technician. 

group photo

The Chronobiology Core offers the following services:

  • Technical Support Personnel:
    • to conduct Constant Routine circadian phase and amplitude assessment procedures.
    • to conduct Constant Posture circadian phase assessment procedures.
    • to conduct Monitored Wakefulness procedures.
    • to conduct Experimental Light Exposure sessions.
    • to collect multiple, frequent blood sampling procedures via indwelling IV catheter. (**this service will be provided only if sufficient demand is demonstrated).
    • support for other skilled procedures on an as-needed basis.
  • Training Services:
    • Training in conducting basic Chronobiology procedures according to Division and CCI Standard Operating Procedures.
  • Specimen Handling:
    • Transfer, sorting, short-term storage, long-term storage, and handling of biologic specimen to internal BWH or outside assay laboratories.
  • Data Processing:
    • Data entry and preliminary data processing of data collected at the Intensive Physiological Monitoring Unit.
  • Supply and Equipment Purchase:
    • Purchase of study-specific equipment or supplies needed to conduct Chronobiology studies.
  • Cost-Sharing Procedures and Support for Investigators:
    • Management of shared costs for services, supplies, and equipment used in Chronobiology studies.
lab photolab example

Access and Utilization. 

A Chronobiology Resource Request must be completed to request services for a new study, followed by a meeting with the Core Director. After initial approval of a study, individual requests for service must be scheduled following standard procedures and are met on a “first-come, first served” basis in cases where multiple requests cannot be accommodated. The Investigator or their designate must attend a weekly planning meeting where allocation of shared resources are reviewed, to ensure that demands for services do not exceed the ability of the Core to provide those services in any given week. 

User Fees. 

User Fees are reviewed and approved by Mass General Brigham Research Management on an annual basis. 

Personnel/Contact Information:

Director:

Jeanne F. Duffy, MBA, PhD

Email: jduffy@bwh.harvard.edu

Other Staff:

Audra S. Murphy

Email: asmurphy@bwh.harvard.edu

Location of Core:

Brigham & Women’s Hospital, 221 Longwood Avenue, BLI438, Boston, MA 02115