Call for Papers — Deadline 15 October 2011 
 
 The History and Philosophy of Biological Rhythms Research (Chronobiology) 
 
 University of Minnesota 
 11-12 May 2012 
 
This conference is part of “From Biological Rhythm Studies to Chronobiology: A History of a New 
Scientific Discipline,” a project funded by NSF SES-0958974, and is sponsored by the University of 
Minnesota Program for the History of Science and Technology and Program for the History of 
Medicine. 
 
 Nearly everybody has heard of “circadian rhythms” and is aware of the implications of 
temporal stress, seasonal affective disorder, and monthly and yearly rhythms in hormonal 
production.  Numerous popular books and articles on “our body clock” and the large scientific 
literature on biological rhythms now call for systematic academic historical study.  This conference 
aims to encourage research in this area by bringing together historians, philosophers, and 
chronobiologists who are interested in reflecting on biological rhythm studies in a multidisciplinary 
historical framework.   
 
Possible areas of interest: 
 
• plant physiology 
• endocrinology 
• cell biology and metabolism 
• animal navigation 
• organic timing, evolution, and ecology 
• mechanical and cybernetic models and theoretical frameworks 
• new experimental apparatus and methods of automatic data acquisition around the clock 
• statistical analysis and new tools for representing and understanding acquired data 
• molecular biology 
• clinical diagnosis and pharmacology 
• personal medicine 
• translation of scientific research into textbooks and the popular press 
• biological rhythms and the culture of balance 
• occupational/industrial medicine 
 
 Please submit proposals for presentations by 15 October 2011 (response by 1 November).  
These should include the presenter’s name, title of the presentation, and a one-page abstract.  
Address inquiries and proposals to: 
 
Jole Shackelford shack001@umn.edu, (612-624-4499)  
History of Medicine 
MMC 506 
University of Minnesota 
Minneapolis, MN 55455 
For more information, see: http://www.med.umn.edu/history/home.html  

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