Joseph Takahashi

An elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, Joseph Takahashi, Ph.D., identified the first circadian rhythm gene in mammals, the mouse gene CLOCK, followed by the discovery of eight other mammalian circadian genes. More recently, Dr. Takahashi cloned the gene responsible for the tau mutation in hamsters, which shortens the daily cycle from 24 to 20 hours, a discovery he views as his most significant. Utilizing forward genetic approaches in the mouse as a tool for gene discovery, the Takahashi Laboratory continues to research the mechanisms of circadian rhythms in mammals as a means to understand how the brain controls behavior. Dr. Takahashi is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a former President of the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms, and he serves as an investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He earned his doctorate from the University of Oregon and completed postdoctoral studies in pharmacology at the National Institute of Mental Health.