Dr. Junfeng Chen received her undergraduate degree from Huazhong Agricultural University in 2011 (Supervisor: Prof. Shuhong Zhao). She then completed her PhD study in Genetics at Texas A&M University in 2016 (Supervisor: Prof. James Womack). From 2016 to 2021, she did postdoc at Uppsala University (Supervisor: Prof. Leif Andersson) and Nagoya University (Supervisor: Prof. Takashi Yoshimura). In 2022, she was appointed as an assistant professor at Nagoya University. Since September 2023, she has been a Principal Investigator at the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, as well as a professor at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.  

The activity/rest cycle (daily), lunar-regulated reproduction of coastal animals (lunar), and annual reproduction, migration and hibernation (annual) are all examples of biological rhythms in nature. To cope with cyclic environmental changes, organisms have evolved endogenous biological clocks with different periods. While significant progress has been achieved in understanding the circadian clock, recognized with the Nobel Prize in 2017, the mechanistic basis governing “infradian rhythms” (period > 24 h) remains one of the most intriguing mysteries in chronobiology.

Using suitable animal models, including small mammals and birds, the Animal Chronobiology group focuses on two primary research directions:

1. Seasonal rhythms in vertebrates: this research direction investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying the circannual clock and and its regulation by environmental factors. Findings from this work will improve our ability to predict the effects of environmental changes on animal rhythms and also enhance agricultural productivity.
2.  Human seasonal diseases: this research direction explores the pathological mechanisms driving the increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases in winter, providing a scientific basis for developing effective prevention and intervention strategies.