My group will create a new entry for Martha Merrow, a chronobiologist at Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich.

Martha Merrow
Born
Known forMCTQ, Chronotype, Aschoff's Rule (prize)
Scientific career
FieldsChronobiology
InstitutionsUniversity of Groningen, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich

Martha Merrow (born 1957) is an American chronobiologist interested in medical psychology. Merrow is a professor of Molecular and Genetic Chronobiology at the University of Groningen and chair member of the Institute for Medical Psychology at Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich. Since joining the Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich in 1996, Merrow has investigated molecular and genetic mechanisms of the circadian clock as well as daily human behavior and medical psychology.

Life

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Merrow was born in 1957 in Bloomfield, Connecticut and currently resides in Germany.

Academic Career

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Upon receiving her Bachelors degree in Biology at Middlebury College in 1979, she then pursued a higher degree in the field of biology. In 1991 Merrow headed to Tufts University Medical school to earn a Ph.D. in Immunology and her interest in Chronobiology began later that year as she pursued her Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Dartmouth Medical School which she completed in 1996.

Scientific Career

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Research

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Merrow is best known for her work on human chronobiology, particularly her work in identifying chronotypes. She developed the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire (MCTQ) with colleagues Till Roenneberg and Anna Wirz-Justice for use in determining “larks”—those with early chronotypes—and “owls”—those with late chronotypes.[1]

Merrow’s molecular chronobiology lab at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen uses nematodes, yeast, fungi, and human tissue cultures to study the circadian clock in simple systems. Her research focuses on oscillations at the molecular level that result in behavioral rhythms.

Professional Achievements

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While a professor of Chronobiology at University of Groningen, Merrow led Sub-Project 4: Novel Clock Genes and Principles for EUCLOCK, a European organization of researchers interested in the circadian clock. She currently serves on the Program Committee for EBRS Congress. Merrow is a member of the OnTime Consortium, which attempts to improve health through an understanding of circadian clocks in the human body. Merrow also strives to develop scientific networks for women in science and specifically woman chronobiologists.

Timeline of Achievements

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  • 2004: Received Aschoff's Rule prize from EBRS (European Biological Rhythms Society)[2]
  • 2004: Rosalind Franklin Research Fellowship at University of Groningen
  • 2005: Received Vici Award from NWO
  • 2006: Became Full Professor of Molecular and Genetic Chronobiology at University of Groningen
  • 2012: Became Chair of Institute for Medical Psychology at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen

Selected publications

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Some of Merrow's publications include:[3][4]

  • Till Roenneberg & Martha Merrow (2016). "The Circadian Clock and Human Health". Current biology : CB. 26 (10): R432–R443. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2016.04.011. PMID 27218855.
  • Vincent van der Vinne, Giulia Zerbini, Anne Siersema, Amy Pieper, Martha Merrow, Roelof A. Hut, Till Roenneberg & Thomas Kantermann (2015). "Timing of examinations affects school performance differently in early and late chronotypes". Journal of biological rhythms. 30 (1): 53–60. doi:10.1177/0748730414564786. PMID 25537752.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)


References

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