Celia Kjærby

Celia Kjærby is an Associate Professor at the Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, where she also leads the Division of Sleep-Arousal State Transitions at the Center for Translational Neuromedicine. Her research focuses on understanding sleep micro-structures and their role in cognitive performance and brain health.

Education:

• PhD, Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen (2012)
• M.Sc. (human biology), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen (2007)
• Bachelor of Science (biology), Faculty of Sciences, University of Copenhagen (2004)

Kjærby's research investigates how sleep-arousal transitions impact restorative sleep processes related to memory consolidation and waste clearance. Her work is particularly relevant for understanding neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders where sleep disturbances play a significant role. She examines the complex micro-structures of sleep and how frequent short arousals contribute to normal sleep function.

Her recent publications (2024-2025) reveal a strong focus on the glymphatic system, cerebral blood flow regulation during sleep, and the relationship between sleep disturbances and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's disease. Her research integrates advanced techniques including CRISPR/Cas9, fluorescent imaging, and machine learning approaches to analyze sleep patterns.

Scientific Recognition:

• Member of Lundbeck Foundation Investigator Network (LFIN) (2022)
• Cover feature in Nature Neuroscience (August 2022)

Kjærby has secured significant research funding including the Lundbeck Foundation Fellow award (2023), Lundbeck Foundation Seed Grant (2023), and an Inge Lehmann independent grant from the Independent Research Fund Denmark (2022). She serves on the editorial board of Frontiers in Neural Circuits and reviews for prestigious journals including Nature and Neuron. She is also active in scientific outreach, regularly participating in public lectures and media interviews about sleep science.

She leads the research group focused on Sleep-Arousal State Transitions and has been instrumental in organizing neuroscience events including the monthly 'DIM the Brain' forum for students and postdocs at the University of Copenhagen since 2016.