‘Biological Clock’ Earns American Scientists Nobel Prize

The Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded on Monday to American scientists Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young for their discovery of complex molecular mechanisms of the human biological clock, announced the Royal Institute in Stockholm.

– The winners of this year’s award have raised public awareness about the importance of proper sleep hygiene, said Juleen Zierath from the Nobel Prize Committee.

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The explanation states that the three scientists were awarded for “discoveries of complex molecular mechanisms that control the twenty-four-hour cycle of bodily activities known as the circadian rhythm or biological clock,” announced the Karolinska Institute.

The circadian rhythm consists of a series of biological rhythms within a defined period known as the time it takes to complete one cycle of 24 hours, which is how long it takes the Earth to rotate on its axis, allowing humans to adapt to different parts of the day and night.

The biological rhythm is an endogenous phenomenon, meaning it starts from within and is self-sustaining to maintain the individual’s organism in the same state during changing environmental conditions, such as during light or darkness. It also enables a balance between the need for sleep and food, as well as the adjustment of blood pressure and body temperature.

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By studying fruit flies, the laureates isolated a gene that controls the biological rhythm. They proved that this gene encodes a protein that accumulates in the cell during the night and then breaks down during the day. The word circadian comes from the Latin words circa – around and dies – day.