Michael W. Young (born 1949) has dedicated over three decades to research studying genetically controlled patterns of sleep and wakefulness within Drosophila melanogaster.During his time at Rockefeller University, his lab has made significant contributions in the field of chronobiology by identifying key genes associated with regulation of the internal clock responsible for circadian rhythms. He was able to elucidate the function of the period gene, which is necessary for the fly to exhibit normal sleep cycles. Young's lab is also attributed with the discovery of the timeless and doubletime genes, which makes proteins that are also necessary for circadian rhythm.He received Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize in 2011.