Episode 42 of the Performance Around The Clock podcast comes from the European Biological Rhythms Society Congress in Lubeck, Germany. We are joined by Professor Ueli Schibler, an icon in the circadian field whose foundational discoveries helped establish fundamental principles in the field of circadian rhythms.

This episode explores Professor Schibler’s scientific journey, marked by serendipity and a philosophy of keeping an open mind to unexpected observations. The conversation highlights how an initial failure to replicate a transcription factor experiment led to the groundbreaking realization that DBP (D-box binding protein) was the first mammalian transcription factor found to exhibit a circadian oscillation. We dive into his lab's revolutionary findings, including the surprise discovery that individual cells, such as fibroblasts, possess their own self-sustained circadian clocks that can be entrained by a simple serum shock. Dr. Schibler and Panda also explore his seminal experiments demonstrating that food acts as a primary time-giver, or zeitgeber, capable of entraining circadian clocks in peripheral tissues like the liver. The discussion moves toward the profound clinical implications of his foundational work, touching upon the massive potential of chronotherapy to optimize cancer treatments, such as timing the delivery of PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitors. Finally, Professor Schibler shares invaluable advice for young scientists about avoiding "bandwagon" research, and discusses his fascinating future hypotheses regarding cancer homeostasis and why germline DNA is virtually immortal.

Please join us for this wide-ranging and inspiring conversation. If you enjoy this episode, please like, comment, or subscribe. Thank you for listening.

Guest:

Professor Ueli Schibler, University of Geneva 1984-2015

2013 Aschoff’s Rule Prize Winner

2012 Aschoff and Honma Prize Winner

2000 Louis-Jeantet Prize Winner

1996 Otto Naegeli prize for medicine

Host:

Dr. Satchin Panda

X (Twitter): @SatchinPanda

https://x.com/SatchinPanda

Instagram: @satchin.panda

https://www.instagram.com/satchin.panda/

Links:

Donations: https://panda.salk.edu/giving/

Research: https://www.salk.edu/scientist/satchidananda-panda/
More science: ⁠https://mycircadianclock.org/⁠