David Earnest

Dr. David Earnest is a Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics at the Texas A&M University College of Medicine and serves as an executive member of the Texas A&M University Center for Biological Clocks Research.

He earned his Master of Science degree in 1979 and Doctoral degree in 1984 from Northwestern University.

His research centers on the neurobiology of circadian rhythms, investigating how disruptions in biological clocks contribute to human health disorders including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, Alzheimer's Disease, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, sleep-wake disturbances, and depression. Using multidisciplinary approaches, he examines molecular pathways linking circadian dysregulation to disease pathogenesis, with particular emphasis on shift work, aging, and sex differences.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong trajectory toward understanding immune-circadian interactions in cognitive decline and stroke outcomes, with increasing focus on sex-specific responses to circadian disruption and the role of inflammatory mediators in metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases.

Dr. Earnest leads a laboratory renowned for developing immortalized SCN cell lines to study the mammalian circadian pacemaker. His current work investigates how shift-work schedules exacerbate brain injury and functional deficits following ischemic stroke, integrating molecular, cellular, and behavioral approaches to address critical gaps in chronobiology and public health.