معرفی
Dr. Alicia Lander is a Research Associate in the College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University and a Full Member of the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), where she leads the Early Career Researcher (ECR) initiative for the Circadian Health research theme. She is also the Communications & Media Manager of the Australasian Chronobiology Society, contributing to scientific dissemination and community engagement.
Education:
- PhD in Psychology, Flinders University (awarded November 2024), thesis: 'Shedding light on impulsivity: the effect of light, light sensitivity and impulsivity'
- Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) - First Class, Flinders University (awarded December 2020), thesis: 'The relationship between light sensitivity and impulsivity in a non-clinical population'
Her research centers on the intersection of circadian biology and mental health, particularly how light exposure influences mood, impulsivity, and decision-making. She investigates circadian light sensitivity as a potential mechanism underlying antidepressant treatment efficacy, contributing to innovative approaches in treating depression. Her work integrates sleep science, chronobiology, and psychological assessment to understand behavioral and emotional regulation.
Dr. Lander's recent publications (2024–2025) reveal a strong focus on how light affects cognitive and emotional processes. Her studies explore aversion to light in impulsive individuals, the role of circadian photoreception in loss aversion (a key construct in decision-making and gambling behavior), and how blue light modulates negative self-thoughts. These works, published in Frontiers in Psychology, Scientific Reports, and the upcoming SLEEP journal, demonstrate a multidisciplinary approach combining psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics.
She currently supervises Honours and PhD students, indicating her growing role in academic mentorship. Dr. Lander is actively involved in a Wellcome Trust-funded research project that aims to integrate sleep and circadian science into depression treatment frameworks. Her research has been presented at national sleep and chronobiology conferences and has appeared in high-quality peer-reviewed journals, receiving attention from news outlets, social media, and academic platforms.
