Fred Turek

Dr. Fred Turek is the Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor of Biology and Director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Biology at Northwestern University, with appointments in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and the Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. His research explores the genetic and molecular mechanisms of sleep and circadian rhythms, linking them to metabolic, neurodegenerative, and gastrointestinal disorders.

His work integrates rodent models and clinical collaborations to address circadian disruptions in aging, shift workers, and spaceflight. Key findings include interactions between circadian clocks, gut microbiota, and melatonin's role in sleep regulation. Current projects examine spaceflight effects on microbiome and strategies to mitigate circadian misalignment.

Selected Scientific Awards:

• 2019 Front Range Neuroscience Group Keynote
• 2015 Gregory Belenky Lectureship
• 2011 Sleep Research Society Distinguished Scientist
• 2008 NARSAD Senior Investigator Award
• 1995 Morrison Endowed Chair
• 1987 Curt Richter Prize

Research Trends: Recent articles emphasize circadian-microbiome interactions, stress-induced sleep phenotypes, and Parkinson’s disease gene networks. Collaborations span sleep medicine, microbiology, and aerospace research, with applications to aging, shift work, and space exploration.

Leadership: He co-founded the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms, served as Deputy Editor for Sleep, and contributed to national policy via the NASEM Committee on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space.