Did you know breast cancer cells had an inner clock? The inner biological clock, also called the circadian rhythm, is an important part of life. It tells our bodies to know what time it is. This way, cells in our body can time important processes, such as growth and repair, to a 24-hour day. However, in some cancer cells, this inner clock can be disrupted. Professor Qing-Jun Meng at the University of Manchester is investigating how the inner clock in breast cancer cells is involved in the disease. And research like this gives hope to people like Amy, who was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 25. “I had various scans and biopsies on the lump, and I was called back to the hospital with my mother and partner where I was told the news, something that no one wants to hear. I was diagnosed with stage 2, grade 3 ER positive and HER2 positive breast cancer.” Qing-Jun's research could help improve existing treatments, as well as find new ones. “Hearing the diagnosis when I was so young was just devastating which is why research like this is so badly needed. Yes, we need new treatments, but it would be tremendous if we found that we could make existing drugs more effective simply by taking them at a particular time of day.” - Amy