Welcome to the Kay laboratory. We study the construction and evolution of complex genetic networks that underlie circadian rhythms in animals and plants. We also develop and use cutting-edge technologies for measuring transcription in live cells, tissues and intact organisms.

Our studies impact our understanding of how plants know when to flower, how we might manipulate rhythms in plants to benefit yields and the production of plant-based products such as biofuels. In the biomedical arena, we are interested in the central role of circadian disorders in regulating the sleep-wake cycle, glucose homeostasis and weight control, with a long term view to developing small molecule drugs that could benefit patients suffering from disorders as diverse as insomnia and diabetes.