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Contact Info

Email: plowrey [at] rider.edu

Phone Number: 609-895-5416

Department: Department of Biology, Behavioral Neuroscience and Health Sciences

Office Location: Mike and Patti Hennessy Science and Technology Center

Additional Info:

Academic Focus: Biology

B.S. Vanderbilt University, Ph.D. Northwestern University. Dr. Lowrey studies the molecular biology of circadian rhythms. Dr. Lowrey joined the Rider faculty in 2005.

Education & Training

  • Research Associate, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Northwestern University, 2001-2005.
  • Lecturer, School of Continuing Studies, Northwestern University, 2001-2004.
  • Postdoctoral, Center for Circadian Biology and Medicine, Northwestern University, 2000-2001.
  • Ph.D., Institute for Neuroscience, Northwestern University, 2000.
  • B.S. with honors, Biology and Psychology, Vanderbilt University, 1991.

Faculty Advisor

Research Interests

My major research interest is to understand the molecular components of the mammalian circadian (24-hour biological clock). The 24-hour cycles of light/dark, temperature, and other environmental phenomena impose an external temporal order to which life on earth must adapt. Most organisms, including some prokaryotes and most eukaryotes, have evolved endogenous clock systems with which to synchronize their biochemical, physiological, and behavioral processes to the 24-hour cycles of the external world.

While specific molecular components of circadian clocks may differ among phylogenetically distant organisms, a general rule has emerged: at the cellular level, all circadian clocks consist of autoregulatory elements. Ultimately, through a better understanding of the molecular components of the mammalian circadian system, it should be possible to elucidate the causes of, and develop treatments for, circadian-related disorders in humans, including seasonal affective disorder and advanced sleep phase syndrome.

Courses Taught

  • Life Science: Genetics Emphasis (BIO 101)
  • Life Science: Behavioral Neuroscience Emphasis (BNS 107)
  • Principles of Biology I (BIO 115)
  • Cell and Molecular Biology (BIO 260 & 260L)
  • Neurobiology (BNS 310 & 310L)
  • Neuroethology (BNS 375 & 375L)
  • Seminar in Behavioral Neuroscience (BNS 415)

Publications

  • Maniscalco M, Nannen J, Sodi V, Silver G, Lowrey PL, Bidle KA. (2014). Light-dependent expression of four cryptic archaeal circadian gene homologs. Frontiers in Microbiology 5:79.
  • Shimomura K, Kumar V, Koike N, Kim TK, Chong J, Buhr ED, Whiteley AR, Low SS, Omura C, Fenner D, Owens JR, Richards M, Yoo SH, Hong HK, Vitaterna MH, Bass J, Pletcher MT, Wiltshire T, Hogenesch J, Lowrey PL, Takahashi JS. (2013). Usf1, a suppressor of the circadian Clock mutant, reveals the nature of the DNA-binding of the CLOCK:BMAL1 complex in mice. eLife 2:e00246.
  • Lowrey PL and Takahashi JS. (2011). Genetics of circadian rhythms in mammalian model organisms. Advances in Genetics 74:175-230.
  • Shimomura K, Lowrey PL, Vitaterna MH, Buhr ED, Kumar V, Hanna P, Omura C, Izumo M, Low SS, Barrett RK, LaRue SI, Green CB, Takahashi JS. (2010). Genetic suppression of the circadian Clock mutation by the melatonin biosynthesis pathway. Proceedings National Academy Sciences USA 107:8399-8403.
  • Yoo SH, Ko CH, Lowrey PL, Burh ED, Song EJ, Chang S, Yoo OJ, Yamazaki S, Lee C and Takahashi JS. (2005). A noncanonical E-box enhancer drives mouse Period2 circadian oscillations in vivo. Proceedings National Academy Sciences USA 102:2608-2613.
  • Lowrey PL and Takahashi JS. (2004). Mammalian circadian biology: elucidating genome-wide levels of temporal organization. Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics 5:407-441.
  • Yoo SH, Yamazaki S, Lowrey PL, Shimomura S, Ko CH, Buhr ED, Siepka SM, Hong HK, Oh WJ, Yoo OJ, Menaker M, Takahashi JS. (2004). PERIOD 2:LUCIFERASE real-time reporting of circadian dynamics reveals persistent circadian oscillations in mouse peripheral tissues. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 101:5339-5346.
  • Lowrey PL and Takahashi JS. (2000). Genetics of the mammalian circadian system: photic entrainment, circadian pacemaker mechanisms and post-translational regulation. Annual Review of Genetics 34:533-562.
  • Lowrey PL, Shimomura K, Antoch MP, Yamazaki S, Zemenides PD, Ralph MR, Menaker M and Takahashi JS. (2000). Positional syntenic cloning and functional characterization of the mammalian circadian mutations tau. Science 288:483-491.
  • King DP, Zhao Y, Sangoram AM, Wilsbacher LD, Tanaka M, Antoch MP, Steeves TDL, Vitaterna MH, Kornhauser JM, Lowrey PL, Turek FW, and Takahashi JS. (1997). Positional cloning of the mouse circadian Clock gene. Cell 89:641-653.
  • Vitaterna MH, King DP, Chang AM, Kornhauser JM, Lowrey PL, McDonald JD, Dove WF, Pinto LH, Turek FW, Takahashi JS. (1994). Mutagenesis and mapping of a mouse gene, Clock, essential for circadian behavior. Science 264:719-725.