Martha U. Gillette

Martha U. Gillette holds the title of Alumni Professor of Cell & Developmental Biology and is also a Professor of Molecular & Integrative Physiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is affiliated with multiple institutes including the Beckman Institute, Institute for Genomic Biology, and Carle Illinois College of Medicine. Her research focuses on the neurobiology of circadian rhythms, neuronal development, and neuroengineering solutions for neural repair. Gillette earned her B.A. from Grinnell College, M.S. from the University of Hawaii, Ph.D. from the University of Toronto, and postdoctoral training at UC Santa Cruz.

Her research interests include circadian clock regulation, neuronal cytoskeleton dynamics, and engineering microenvironments for neural growth. Major projects include studying how circadian rhythms influence organ function, developing bioengineered systems to guide vascular and neural network formation, and analyzing neuropeptide signaling in health and disease. She leads the Clockworks Lab, a multidisciplinary team advancing neurotechnology and regenerative medicine.

• Grants:
  • NSF BRAIN EAGER (2014-2017)
  • NIH BRAIN Innovation Award (2015-2018)
  • NSF Science & Technology Center CBET-0939511 (2010-2020)
• Awards:
  • Women in Neuroscience Lifetime Achievement Award
  • AAAS Fellow
  • Beckman Institute’s 2021 Vision and Spirit Award

Gillette’s work bridges basic science and translational applications, addressing neural degeneration, sleep disorders, and tissue regeneration. She directs the Neuroscience Graduate Program and collaborates across disciplines to advance circadian biology and neuroengineering.