Stoffer Hall: PROFESSOR M.K. CHANDRASHEKARAN AND THE ASCHOFF'S RULE

Chronobiology as a separate field of science was established and became more popular after the famous Cold Spring Harbour Symposium on ‘Biological Clocks’ in 1960. Jürgen Walther Ludwig Aschoff (January 25, 1913 – October 12, 1998), Erwin Bünning (23 January 1906 – 4 October 1990) and Colin Pittendrigh (October 13, 1918 – March 19, 1996) were the backbone of this Symposium and they laid the conceptual foundations of the field of biological rhythms research in this century.
While Erwin Bunning is considered as the grand father of Chronobiology for his pioneering works with cotton plants, it was Jurgen Aschoff, the father of Chronobiology who established the field through his work on animal systems. Aschoff provided a strong foundation for the field of chronobiology through his research on circadian rhythms and entrainment in many different organisms such as birds, rats, mice, monkeys, and humans.

Through his experiments on various nocturnal and diurnal animals, Aschoff noted that under constant light conditions, the activity phase shortens in nocturnal organisms and lengthens in diurnal organisms. In tribute to Jurgen Aschoff, Colin Pittendrigh called this observation as "Aschoff's Rule" in a 1960 publication, and the designation remains today.

In the 1991 Gordon Research Conference on Chronobiology it was decided to celebrate the work of Jürgen Aschoff by initiating a prize which would be awarded on an annual basis to scientists who have advanced our knowledge in chronobiology in the spirit of Jürgen Aschoff's work. The prize should remind all chronobiologists to pursue our scientific work according to Aschoff's spirit. The prize was named after "Aschoff's Rule". The prize consists of a plaque with a “ruler” used by Aschoff fixed in a metal plate in which “Aschoff’s rule” is engraved and it is awarded each year by the current winner to a successor of his choice who will be awarded with the at either of the alternating "Gordon Conference on Chronobiology”.

Professor Till Roenneberg initiated the award of the “Aschoff's Rule” prize by presenting it to Professor Maroli Krishniah Chandrashekeran the first recipient of this prestigious award in 1991.

- Dr. P.Kumarasamy