We break down the science behind circadian rhythms so you can be enlightened. In each podcast episode, we chat with experts in the field about a variety of topics, spanning from the effects of light on our biology and how it can be used for the treatment of psychiatric disorders and beyond.
Contact us: lightoclock@tuebingen.mpg.de
Website: https://tscnlab.org/podcast
Publisher
Translational Sensory & Circadian Neuroscience Unit (MPS/TUM/TUMCREATE)
Season 4 – Episode 3: Light therapy in cancer care
Cancer and its treatment are often accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue, sleep problems, low mood, and cognitive difficulties. These symptoms frequently occur together, and circadian disruption may be one factor contributing to their development and persistence.
In this episode of Light O’Clock, we speak with Lisa Maria Wu about how cancer and its treatments can affect circadian rhythms and how these changes are measured. We also discuss bright-light therapy and other behavioural approaches that may help strengthen circadian rhythms, as well as what research is still needed before these strategies become part of routine cancer care.
Links and resources:
https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2022.1009064
10.1002/pon.3553
29 Jul 2026
Season 4 – Episode 2: The best time for a vaccine? Circadian rhythms and immunity
Is there a best time for a vaccine? In this episode of Light O'Clock, we speak with Dr Cathy A. Wyse about whether the time of day when we receive a vaccine can influence how we respond to it.
We first discuss how circadian rhythms shape the immune system, how vaccines work, and the difference between vaccine response (e.g., antibody levels) and vaccine effectiveness (i.e., protection against infection or disease). We then discuss why the current evidence remains mixed and how factors such as chronotype, sleep, age, sex, prior immunity, and vaccine type may influence results.
Paper reference: https://doi.org/10.1177/07487304241232447
The key message: the immune system is rhythmic, so timing could matter -- but the evidence is not yet strong enough to recommend one specific time of day for vaccination. For now, the most important advice remains: get vaccinated when you can.
1 Jul 2026
Season 4 – Episode 1: Why biological timing matters in medicine
In the first episode of Season 4, we start with the foundations of circadian medicine.
Together with our guest Henrik Oster, we take a tour through the circadian system and ask what biological timing has to do with health and disease. We discuss how the body coordinates different physiological and behavioural functions across the 24-hour day, what can happen when internal rhythms become disrupted, and why timing may matter in medicine.
We then introduce three key ideas in circadian medicine: exploiting the clock to optimise the timing of treatments, targeting the clock as part of therapy, and detecting the clock to better personalise healthcare. Finally, we examine the current state of the field, the challenges of integrating circadian principles into clinical practice, and the future of circadian medicine.
This episode sets the stage for the rest of the season, where we will explore specific areas of circadian medicine in more detail – from vaccines and cancer care to neonatal health, metabolism, exercise, and shift work. Stay tuned!
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Spotify
5.0 / 5
34 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 44 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
58
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
77
Host of Light O'Clock?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
