Circadian Health Training in Latin America: Translating Chronobiology into Clinical Practice

The growing recognition of circadian biology as a cornerstone of health and disease has created an urgent need for translational initiatives capable of bridging basic discoveries and clinical applications. In this context, the Circadian Health Course was held at Centro Cultural e de Exposições Ruth Cardoso, in the city of Maceió, Brazil, on October 21, 2025, chaired by Tiago Andrade (from Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Brazil). As a satellite event of the XVIII Latin American Symposium on Chronobiology (LASC 2025), 1 the course marked an important milestone for the field in Latin America. Designed specifically for healthcare professionals, it offered a full day of specialized training on the clinical application of chronobiological principles, focusing on diagnosis, management, and prevention strategies for circadian rhythm disorders.

Since 1991, the LASC has convened the Latin American chronobiology community every 2 years in different host countries. The LASC 2025 was the first to include a program entirely devoted to clinical chronobiology. With 96 participants from research, clinical, and training settings, the Circadian Health Course combined theoretical foundations and practical insights, covering topics from infectious and chronic diseases to behavioral and pharmacological interventions. The initiative reflected a growing regional effort to translate circadian science into tangible tools to improve patient care and public health.

The correct functioning of the biological clock and of sleep homeostasis is critical for human health and performance. Evidence 2 3 links circadian disruption to a broad spectrum of adverse health outcomes. Epidemiological and experimental data associate chronic misalignment with: metabolic dysfunction, including obesity, insulin resistance, and type-2 diabetes; cardiovascular and immune alterations; and increased risk of cancer. 4 Moreover, circadian disruption impairs neurobehavioral function, reducing alertness, cognitive performance, and mood stability, and it contributes to the pathophysiology of psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. 4 5 Molecular studies 6 reveal that clock-gene dysregulation alters cell-cycle control, mitochondrial function, and inflammatory pathways, providing mechanistic links between disrupted temporal organization and disease vulnerability.

These findings form the foundation of circadian medicine, an emerging translational discipline aiming to integrate temporal biology into healthcare. 7 8 9 Its objectives include optimizing diagnosis, treatment, and prevention by considering biological timing. 8 However, the field faces substantial challenges. 10 First, temporal variability in physiology and disease is rarely accounted for in the conventional medical practice, which assumes static rather than rhythmic baselines. Second, objective circadian assessment tools (such as actigraphy, melatonin profiling, or clock-gene biomarkers) remain insufficiently standardized for routine clinical use. Third, the medical workforce lacks chronobiological training, and most healthcare systems are not structured to accommodate time-based diagnostics or therapeutics. Finally, the translation gap between laboratory research and clinical application persists due to limited longitudinal and interventional studies demonstrating the benefits of circadian alignment in real-world settings.

The Circadian Health Course opened with Ana Silva (from Universidad de la República, Uruguay), who highlighted the translational continuum linking molecular and physiological research to clinical innovation. Natalia Buitrago-Ricaurte (from Universidad del Rosario, Colombia) explored the time-dependent modulation of autonomic function and its impact on cardiovascular and metabolic disorders.

Claudia Torres-Farfan (from Universidad Austral de Chile) addressed the consequences of shift work in pregnancy, discussing evidence-based recommendations for mitigating circadian disruption among pregnant workers. Malcolm von Schantz (from Northumbria University, United Kingdom) provided insights into temporal dysregulation associated with chronic infection and its systemic implications for immune and metabolic homeostasis. This was his final scientific presentation before his passing on October 24, 2025, marking a lasting legacy in chronobiology.

Cibele Crispim (from Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Brazil) illustrated how meal timing interacts with energy metabolism and body composition, influencing obesity. The session on light exposure by Maria da Paz Hidalgo and Fernanda Bonatto (from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) underscored the central role of natural and artificial light in circadian alignment and psychological well-being. Fernanda Amaral (from Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil) then reviewed the clinical evidence regarding melatonin administration, clarifying therapeutic uses, dosing challenges, and current controversies. Finally, Andrea Toscanini (from Associação Paulista de Medicina, Brazil) and Lívia Gitaí (from Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Brazil) addressed the management of circadian-rhythm disorders, integrating diagnostic tools and therapeutic approaches applicable to the clinical routine.

Beyond the lectures, the event also celebrated the release of 2 pioneering books on circadian health: Medicina circadiana: fundamentos e aplicações clínicas (Araújo, JF; Andrade, TG, editors. Natal: EDUFRN; 2025), written in Portuguese, and Cronobiología traslacional y salud circadiana: de la investigación básica a la práctica clínica (Paz, V; Silva, A; Tassino, B, editors. Montevideo: Udelar/CSIC; 2025. Art. 2 Collection), written in Spanish. These works represent the first regionally-authored textbooks addressing circadian medicine, reflecting the consolidation of Latin American expertise in this emerging field.

The discussion extended beyond clinical settings. At the end of the LASC 2025, the participants reconvened to deliberate on the broader societal implications of chronobiology. The outcome was the proposal of a Working Group on Chronobiology and Public Policy , aiming to evaluate and promote legislative and institutional measures to reduce the detrimental effects of social schedules on biological timekeeping.

Taken together, the Circadian Health Course and subsequent initiatives underscore a turning point for chronobiology in Latin America: a transition from academic investigation to practical implementation. The event not only disseminated specialized knowledge but also fostered regional collaboration toward the incorporation of circadian principles in healthcare education, clinical practice, and public health policy. As these efforts expand, they hold the promise of shaping a new personalized medicine paradigm based on the alignment of biological time and environment for the benefit of human well-being. The time for Latin American Circadian Health has come.