The ventral lateral neurons (LNvs), a subgroup of clock neurons characterized by the expression of the neuropeptide Pigment Dispersing Factor (PDF) (Fig. 1), play a fundamental role in the control of alertness and in the regulation of sleep/wake behavior via a not fully understood neuronal circuit. Previous work from our laboratory identified Ork1, a potassium open rectifier channel, as a potential key element in the physiology of the LNvs (Fig. 2). To investigate this, we are combining behavioral assays with targeted genetic downregulation of Ork1 in LNvs, which reveals effects on sleep architecture and resistance to sleep deprivation. In parallel, we performed immunofluorescence experiments to examine the anatomy of PDF-positive somas and axonal projections. Altogether, these approaches aim to uncover how Ork1 channel contribute to the structural and functional properties of sleep-regulating neurons in Drosophila.