Christopher S. Colwell

Christopher S. Colwell, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he has served since 1997 and was promoted to Professor in 2008. He is also a member of the Brain Research Institute at UCLA, with his laboratory located at 760 Westwood Plaza in Los Angeles.

Dr. Colwell's educational background includes:

• B.S. in Neuroscience from Vanderbilt University (1985)
• Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Virginia (1991)

His research focuses on circadian rhythms and their dysfunction in neurological and psychiatric disorders, utilizing mouse models of autism spectrum disorders (e.g., Cntnap2 knockout), Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and Fragile X syndrome. Key investigations examine how light exposure, feeding schedules, and pharmacological agents impact sleep-wake cycles and disease progression, aiming to translate findings into therapies improving patient quality of life.

Analysis of his 2024-2025 publications reveals dominant themes in circadian interventions for neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, with significant emphasis on time-restricted feeding, light therapy, and novel compounds. His work integrates electrophysiological, behavioral, and molecular approaches to address mechanisms from the suprachiasmatic nucleus to translational applications.

No major scientific awards are documented in the provided materials.

While specific grant details and student names are absent from the source, his extensive publication record in high-impact journals indicates active NIH-funded research and mentorship of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in neuroscience and circadian biology.

Dr. Colwell leads a UCLA laboratory employing electrophysiology, behavioral analysis, and molecular techniques to study circadian regulation in health and disease, collaborating across institutions to advance chronotherapeutic strategies for neurological conditions.