Pattern Dependent Specificity of Glucocorticoid Signalling

The body's stress hormones don't just rise and fall—they pulse in rapid, rhythmic bursts throughout the day, and this research tests whether those specific patterns, not just the total amount of hormone, determine how tissues like the brain and liver respond. Most studies treat stress hormones as a steady signal, but the body releases them in ultradian pulses (every 1–2 hours) on top of a daily circadian rhythm. This project asks whether cells "read" these digital-like patterns to decide which genes to switch on or off. The researchers will use an automated blood sampling and infusion system to deliver precise, programmable hormone rhythms to rats, then measure how different brain regions and the liver react—both in gene activity and in cognitive and metabolic outcomes. They will also disrupt the natural rhythm to see what breaks. This is fundamental science about how biological signals encode information. If the pattern—not just the dose—matters, it could reshape how doctors prescribe steroids for inflammation, autoimmune disease, or mental health conditions, moving from daily pills to timed, pulsatile delivery. It might also explain why shift work or chronic stress, which scramble these rhythms, damages memory and metabolism.