Michal Dudek

My primary research interest lays in the rhythmic, circadian (24 hour) dynamics of musculo-skeletal system with particular interest in cartilage and intervertebral discs. Both cartilage and the discs are matrix rich tissues with cells being the smaller part of the volume of the tissue.  To fully understand the physiology of the tissue you cannot consider one without the other. Our recent studies suggest that the extracellular matrix takes active part in how cells in cartilage and intervertebral discs tell what time it is and synchronize their circadian clocks according to phases of loading and low load recovery during the 24 hour day. Also the matrix itself may not be as inert as previously thought and exhibits rhythmic changes in abundance of its components. We utilise in our studies time series RNA sequencing and proteomics along with circadian clock reporter constructs to investigate those rhythmic changes.