Harvard Catalyst Profiles

NIH

Influence of Nocturnal Light Exposure on the Impairment of Glucose Tolerance Induced by Chronic Sleep Restriction

Role: Principal Investigator

NIH

Proteomic and Transcriptomic Biomarkers of Circadian Timing

Role: Co-Principal Investigator

NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE

PROTEOMIC AND TRANSCRIPTOMIC BIOMARKERS OF CIRCADIAN TIMING

Role Description: PROJECT NARRATIVE All fundamental aspects of human physiology, metabolism, and behavior display 24-hour rhythms, and at least 40% of protein-coding genes show daily rhythms in expression in a tissue-specific manner in humans. Our ability to incorporate circadian timing into clinical decision-making is impaired by our inability to measure circadian time quickly and easily, impacting not only treatment for patients with suspected circadian rhythm disorders and other sleep pathologies, but limiting our ability to pursue chronomedicine (delivering treatments at the optimal time of day so as to increase efficacy and/or reduce side effects) as factor in personalized medicine. We aim to fill this technological gap by establishing and refining methods that can estimate circadian time in an individual with a single blood sample take at any time during the day or night.

Role: M-PI

NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE

TRAINING IN SLEEP, CIRCADIAN, AND RESPIRATORY NEUROBIOLOGY

Role Description: ABSTRACT In its most recent research plan, the NHLBI's National Center for Sleep Disorders Research identified the need to train investigators as its highest priority. The Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine Program for Training in Sleep, Circadian and Respiratory Neurobiology, based at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, has been addressing this need since 1998 and has been modified to address the new challenges in our field. This program provides structured, comprehensive research training to prepare outstanding individuals for academic positions in the broad field of sleep science and sleep and circadian medicine. For each trainee, the training program consists of core required courses and activities, elective courses and activities, and an intensive research experience. Cross-disciplinary and translational research is a highlight of this program, and formal mentoring and tracking components are integral features. Intensive research training experiences are available across the breadth of sleep, circadian and respiratory neurobiology areas, including basic as well as clinical and translational research opportunities, with two program projects that span multiple laboratories and institutions. There are 15 Full Preceptors with extensive experience and demonstrated success at training pre- doctoral and post-doctoral fellows, well-funded research programs (training faculty have current research support totaling nearly $30 million of direct costs per year), and outstanding resources that trainees will utilize for research. In addition, we have 17 Associate Preceptors who also oversee our trainees, and are actively being trained to be our next generation of mentors. Our program also has 3 Affiliate Preceptor mentors who provide direct research supervision and research career development related to his or her areas of expertise. Our training record over the past decade reveals the success of our efforts to train leaders in academic sleep science. Of our pre- and post-doctoral trainees funded by this training grant over the last 10 years, 90% of our pre-doctoral trainees remain in academic/research-intensive careers, and 94% of our post-doctoral trainees remain in academic/research-intensive careers, with a full 75% of our post-doctoral trainees remaining in academic medicine (still in academic training or now in faculty positions). Of those still in academic medicine, almost all have a faculty rank of Assistant Professor or higher, and more than 50% have already received external grant support as PI or Co-I, with the remainder well on their way to independence. These data indicate that this training program is very effective at selecting and training scientists who have productive careers in research. Funds are requested to support four pre-doctoral graduate students, three pre-doctoral short-term summer minority medical students and eight post-doctoral trainees. Based on our highly competitive application process, we are confident these slots will be filled by outstanding future leaders. This formal program has grown and been refined over the two decades since its inception, and meets a nationally recognized need to increase the number of highly qualified investigators in sleep and circadian science and sleep disorders medicine.

Role: PI

National Institute on Aging

Sleep, Aging and Circadian Rhythm Disorders

Role Description: PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Sleep is regulated by circadian rhythmicity and sleep homeostasis, and both are disrupted with age. Sleep deficiency and circadian disruption are risk factors for obesity and Type 2 diabetes, which increase with age. This Program seeks to differentiate the distinct consequences of circadian disruption (while minimizing sleep loss) and sleep loss (while minimizing circadian disruption) on age-related impairments of glucose regulation, and to reveal the mechanisms by which glucose regulation is impaired.

Role: PI