Diversity in Chronobiology: Discovering dynamics and interactions in chronobiology using multimodal, multiscale, and multinational data

This project will elucidate dynamics and interactions of human biological rhythms – vital for mental and physical health – through multimodal, multiscale, and multinational data. We will specifically address a critical knowledge gap about how real-life biological rhythms vary in non-Western populations. The three major aims of this proposal are to: 1) collect and curate a geographically and ethnically diverse dataset of healthy human biological rhythms from communities in Brazil, Botswana, Indonesia, Singapore, and the UK over 12 weeks using wearable-sensor technology; 2) combine cutting-edge signal processing with modern dynamical systems and machine learning to identify “low-dimensional latent rhythms” from multimodal wearable data streams (e.g., actigraphy, photoplethysmography, skin temperature, etc.); and 3) build normative models that capture how biological rhythms change with age, sex, and environment. The developed methods and models will form the basis of an open-source software toolbox to help future research quantify and interpret biological rhythms in real-world contexts. Importantly, this proposal will lay the foundation for future global studies on chronobiological health and pave the way for rhythm-based precision medicine, including chronotherapy. Moreover, it will provide an unprecedented dataset for exploring how geographical, ethnical, cultural, and biological factors shape our biological clocks in naturalistic settings.