Raphael Heinzer

Raphael Heinzer is an Associate Professor at the University of Lausanne (UNIL), Faculty of Biology and Medicine, and head physician of the Centre for Investigation and Research on Sleep (CIRS), a joint UNIL-CHUV unit within the Department of Medicine. He has been a leading figure in sleep medicine since founding CIRS in 2006 and was promoted to associate professor in 2018.

His research focuses on the physiology and epidemiology of sleep disorders such as apnea, insomnia, hypersomnia, and parasomnias. He leads studies based on the HypnoLaus cohort, the largest population cohort in sleep research, and explores sleep in extreme conditions like high altitude and long-duration flights (e.g., Solar Impulse project). His work bridges clinical medicine, public health, and translational research.

The recent articles highlight a strong trend toward understanding the impact of sleep on cardiovascular outcomes. His 2023 publication emphasizes how optimizing sleep can reduce coronary events and strokes, reflecting a broader interest in preventive medicine and population-level health interventions.

• President, Swiss Sleep Society (2013–2017)
• Active member of European Societies of Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine
• Contributor to national sleep health consultations (e.g., Point d'Eau)

Heinzer mentors medical students from Lausanne, Geneva, and Lyon-Grenoble, and has co-authored the widely acclaimed book "I Dream of Sleeping" with Dr. José Haba-Rubio. His research is supported by institutional collaborations with CHUV, Harvard Medical School, Stanford, and EPFL. He has pioneered mobile applications for sleep apnea detection and developed clinical tools used internationally.

He leads the CIRS, a reference center for rare sleep disorders, which conducts around 2,000 sleep examinations annually and employs approximately twenty specialists. The center functions as a hub for multidisciplinary research, clinical care, and innovation in sleep science.