Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic and disabling illness. Understanding the mechanisms leading to the development of BD and establishing methods to monitor the illness remain elusive. Disturbances in biological rhythms (e.g., sleep and circadian rhythms) is a hallmark of the illness but remains an area that has not been thoroughly researched. My primary area of research focuses on understanding the relationships between biological rhythm disturbances and BD. My prior research using actigraphy, an easily accessible, non-invasive tool for measuring locomotor activity, demonstrates the relationships between biological rhythm disturbances and mood state in BD. In continuance of this line of research, I will implement novel and sophisticated modeling methods to identify and quantify complex locomotor activity patterns to assess their relationships with mood states and clinical characteristics in BD. My goal is to design an actigraphy-based, illness monitoring paradigms that will allow for early intervention, thus, limiting the severity or onset of mood episodes and providing a step toward personalized medicine. I will continue to collaborate with physiologists; cellular and molecular biologists; and geneticists to understand how biological disturbances are associated with clinical characteristics and the biological processes of BD. Obtaining a greater comprehension of these relationships will help to inform our understanding of the potential causes of the illness and will guide the development of novel and directed treatments for the disorder.