Prof. Michael Rosbash (BIOL), a 31-year faculty member whose research has focused on human sleep cycles, was elected by his peers in the American Academy for the Advancement of Science as a Fellow of the international nonprofit organization last month.The AAAS is dedicated to advancing science around the world by serving as an educator, spokesperson and professional organization, according to its Web site.

Fellows attend a forum in February at which they're presented with an official certificate and a rosette pin, the blue and gold colors of which represent science and engineering, respectively. The distinction is granted to those whose social or applied work is viewed as having advanced his or her scientific field.

"It's a nice thing to receive," Rosbash said. Some of his other achievements include an appointment as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator in 1989 and membership to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2001.

Rosbash has spent his time researching a range of topics, including metabolism and the processing of RNA, a crucial factor in building protein in human bodies. For the past 25 years, his interests have been rooted primarily in circadian rhythm and biological clocks.

"It's related to how and why we sleep," he said about his research. "The ticking of the clock has impact on alertness and sleep."

Rosbash's research looks at why people sleep and what purpose sleep serves, as well as the molecular basis for sleep.

When he first came to Brandeis as an assistant professor, Rosbash was interested in how genes influence behavior. His specific fascination with circadian rhythms was inspired in part by his friendship with Prof. John C. Hall (BIOL), another new member of the science faculty. When they were both starting out, Hall told Rosbash of his previous experience in a lab studying how genes influence circadian rhythm.

"The personal friendship was really the driving force behind the beginning of this work," Rosbash said. Together, he and Hall have used research on fruit flies to identify numerous genes involved in the sleep and waking cycles of humans. They also proposed a potential mechanism to explain how a 24-hour biological clock might work.

Rosbash doesn't spend all his time in the lab, though. Although his professorial work mostly involves guiding students through senior research or dissertations, he has, in the past, taught undergraduate classes such as cell biology. This year, he teaches the University Seminar for first-years in the Life Science Scholar program. This yearlong course familiarizes LSS students with Brandeis' researchers and their techniques for achieving success in their various fields.