Novel Therapeutics:

Cell-Specific Circadian Clocks in the Gut: A New Frontier for Intestinal Health and Chronomedicine

Dr. Joseph Takahashi, Ph.D.

• Professor of Neuroscience, Investigator, HHMI
• Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute
• UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

The Takahashi Lab

Dr. Takahashi and collaborators have developed a first-in-class mouse model that allows scientists to track the circadian rhythM.S. of specific cell types in the intestine, in real-time. Using this tool, they discovered that different gut cells, like neurons, macrophages, and smooth muscle, have independent clocks that respond differently to feeding cycles. Surprisingly, enteric neurons were the fastest to adapt, suggesting they may act as timekeepers for the entire gut. The platform also allows direct manipulation of neuronal clocks in vivo, opening up the possibility of resetting the gut’s circadian system to restore intestinal health. This breakthrough creates a powerful experimental pipeline to develop cell-targeted therapies for IBD, IBS, and circadian-related gut disorders, with clear commercial and clinical applications in both biotech and precision medicine.