Dr Dominic McCafferty is a Senior Lecturer in Physiology, Ageing & Welfare at the University of Glasgow, based at the Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment. He holds academic roles including Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Thermal Biology and previously Ibis . His research focuses on thermal adaptation, behavioral thermoregulation, and urban wildlife ecology, particularly using thermal imaging techniques. He has a Ph.D. and BSc in Ecological Science from the University of Edinburgh (1989–1993 and 1985–1989). His work spans physiological studies in mammals, birds, and marine species, emphasizing conservation applications. Notable projects include habitat suitability modeling for urban water voles and thermal physiology studies in elephant seals. His educational background includes advanced studies in ecological science, complemented by post-doctoral research at institutions like the British Antarctic Survey (1993–1998). He has contributed to over 99 publications, advancing methodologies in non-invasive wildlife monitoring and ecological field studies. His editorial roles reflect expertise in thermal biology and avian science. McCafferty has led projects on carrion dynamics, stress physiology, and behavioral adaptations in diverse species, with a focus on applying findings to conservation challenges. Labs/Teams: Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment (SCENE), part of the broader University of Glasgow's ecological research network. Collaborations include the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle in France and the National Trust for Scotland.
Jenny Ouyang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Nevada, Reno , where she also serves as Director of the Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology graduate program. She earned her B.S. and B.A. from the University of California, Irvine (2007), followed by M.A. and Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton University (2009, 2012). Her research focuses on the ecology and evolution of physiological systems , particularly how hormonally regulated traits enable organismal adaptation to environmental changes like urbanization , light pollution , and endocrine stress responses . Education: Ph.D., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University (2012) M.A., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University (2009) B.S., Biology, University of California, Irvine (2007) B.A., French, University of California, Irvine (2007) Her work integrates neuroendocrine mechanisms with ecological contexts to understand phenotypic flexibility and epigenetic adaptation in birds. Recent projects examine how artificial light at night disrupts circadian rhythms, hormonal profiles, and parental behaviors across urban-rural gradients. She has secured major grants including the NSF CAREER award (2022) for studying urbanization and NIH COBRE funding (2017) as part of a neuroscience team. Key collaborations include Dr. Maria Echeverry at Universidad Pontificia Javeriana in Colombia through her 2023 Fulbright award . The Ouyang Lab combines natural and laboratory experiments to investigate stress physiology, with recent papers analyzing glucocorticoid responses to urbanization, gene expression patterns under light pollution, and epigenetic reorganization in response to environmental stressors. Her publications span top journals like Proceedings of the Royal Society B , Biology Letters , and Ecology Applications , where her 2022 paper on lead pollution and reproduction was highlighted by ESA and Swedish Radio. Scientific Awards & Recognition: US Fulbright Scholars Award (2023) NSF CAREER grant (2022) NIH COBRE grant (2017) as team member Advising students like Valentina Alaasam (NSF GRFP awardee) and Ivan Celso Carvalho Provinciato (Dean's Merit Fellowship)
Masaki Nishida is a Professor at the Faculty of Sport Sciences , Waseda University, and Vice President of the Health Support Center at the same institution. He also serves as Chief of the Sleep Research Institute . His research bridges Sleep Science , Sports Medicine , and Clinical Psychiatry , with a focus on the interplay between sleep, cognitive function, and athletic performance. Education: Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Faculty of Medicine (1996) His work has significantly advanced understanding of napping interventions for athletes, sleep quality in competitive divers, and neurophysiological mechanisms linking sleep spindles to memory consolidation. Current research projects include a 2024-2027 study on functional bedding effects funded by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. Scientific awards include the 15th Japanese Society of Sleep Research Encouragement Award (2010) and the 88th Japanese Society for Occupational Health Award (2015). His publications span topics like REM sleep's role in emotional memory , sleep inertia , and motor adaptation , with recent emphasis on international sports psychiatry standards . He actively contributes to professional societies including the Japanese Association of Sports Psychiatry (Chairman) and Society for Neuroscience .
Emmanuel Stamatakis is a Professor of Physical Activity, Lifestyle, and Population Health at the University of Sydney's School of Health Sciences (Faculty of Medicine and Health). He holds NHMRC Leadership Fellowships (2021-2025 and 2026-2030) and leads the Charles Perkins Centre's Physical Activity & Exercise Theme. His research focuses on lifestyle behaviors' impacts on cardiometabolic conditions, cancer, and cardiovascular health, using large-scale cohort studies and wearable device data. Key roles include directing the Mackenzie Wearables Research Hub and co-chairing WHO's Physical Activity Guidelines Development Group. Education: PhD from University of Bristol (2003), post-doctoral training at University College London. He leads the ProPASS consortium, involving 45 cohorts with wearable data. Over 460 peer-reviewed publications, including Clarivate's Highly Cited list since 2019. Research interests integrate physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep analytics with clinical outcomes. Current projects explore wearables-based measurement innovations, SPAN (sleep-physical activity-nutrition) synergies, and intervention designs for GLP-1 receptor agonist users. Recent articles emphasize VILPA (vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity) benefits, sleep-cardiovascular links, and multimodal lifestyle optimization. Awards include Australia's Top Researcher in Sports Medicine and multiple NHMRC grants. Supervises PhD projects on physical activity measurement and intervention design. Active in 50+ peer-reviewed journals and national/international funding bodies.
Zsofia Zavecz is a Research Associate at the University of Cambridge Department of Psychology. Her work focuses on the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying sleep and memory consolidation, with particular emphasis on electrophysiological correlates of lucid dreaming and sleep-dependent learning. Research highlights include: Investigation of EEG functional connectivity during statistical learning Study of transcranial stimulation effects on probabilistic learning Analysis of sleep restriction impacts on hormonal regulation Exploration of cognitive reserve mechanisms in sleep disorders Her neuroscientific investigations span procedural memory systems, neural oscillations, and cross-population studies in both healthy individuals and pediatric sleep-disordered breathing patients.
Malcolm von Schantz is a Professor and Deputy Faculty Pro Vice-Chancellor at Northumbria University, affiliated with the HLS Faculty Management and Administration. Previously, he held leadership roles at the University of Surrey, including Associate Dean (International) and acting Pro-Vice Chancellor (International Relations). He is also an Honorary Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. He holds a PhD in Zoology from an unspecified institution (awarded 10 Dec 1994). His research focuses on human circadian rhythms and sleep, their molecular determinants, and links to physical/mental health. He has secured over £6.4M in research funding from bodies like the MRC, Wellcome Trust, and NIH. Key research areas include sleep architecture, chronotype variability, HIV-related sleep disruptions, and cardiometabolic health correlations. His work has been published in high-impact journals and widely featured in media. He actively participates in international conferences and public outreach, including translating sleep education materials into multiple languages. Notable collaborations include the BioClocks UK initiative and the Baependi Heart Study in Brazil. His recent articles address daylight saving policies, gender-specific sleep-cardiovascular links, and light sensitivity in bipolar disorder. He supervises PhD students and engages in editorial roles across journals. Public impacts include translating educational comics and participating in community health events. His research emphasizes global health equity, particularly in low-resource settings.
Rebecca Cox is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, where she leads the Sleep, Circadian Rhythms, and Psychopathology (SCRAP) Laboratory. Her research investigates the role of sleep and circadian rhythm disruption in anxiety-related disorders, employing multimethod approaches such as actigraphy, melatonin assays, ecological momentary assessment, and clinical trials. Education: PhD, Vanderbilt University MA, Vanderbilt University BA, Hendrix College Her research focuses on how disruptions in sleep and circadian rhythms affect physiological, cognitive, and affective functioning, contributing to the development and persistence of anxiety disorders. She is particularly interested in leveraging sleep and circadian medicine—including light therapy and cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia—as novel treatment strategies. Her work spans populations such as young adults and perinatal individuals, aiming to identify modifiable behavioral targets to improve mental health outcomes. The recent publications highlight a strong trend in integrating objective and subjective sleep measures with clinical psychology, particularly in OCD, PTSD, and general anxiety. Her work increasingly employs real-time data collection and population-level analysis to understand temporal and biological influences on mental health. Scientific Awards: No awards listed in the provided text. Dr. Cox advises students through the SCRAP Lab and is involved in clinical and translational research, though specific grants are not detailed. Her lab uses innovative methodologies to bridge basic science with clinical applications in mental health treatment. Labs and Teams: She directs the SCRAP Lab (Sleep, Circadian Rhythms, and Psychopathology Laboratory), which conducts interdisciplinary research combining sleep science, circadian biology, and clinical psychology to address anxiety-related psychopathology.
Philip Gehrman is a Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and a clinical psychologist at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center . He directs the Sleep, Neurobiology and Psychopathology (SNaP) Lab , focusing on sleep-mental health interactions. Education : PhD in Psychology Key Research Areas : Sleep dysregulation in mental health, translational sleep research, genomics/metabolomics of insomnia, neuroplasticity in depression, CBT for sleep disorders His work spans clinical research and molecular investigations , including NIH-funded studies on genetic mechanisms and neural pathways of sleep disorders. Current projects involve: Telemedicine CBT for insomnia Wearable sleep monitoring in PTSD Slow-wave activity in depression CSF biomarkers for dementia Dr. Gehrman supervises graduate students and collaborates with multidisciplinary teams. His lab's publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches to sleep-mental health links.
Mary A. Carskadon is Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University's Warren Alpert Medical School and Director of the EP Bradley Hospital COBRE Center for Sleep and Circadian Rhythms in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Her distinguished career spans over five decades with foundational contributions to sleep science. Her educational background includes a BA in psychology from Gettysburg College (1969) and a doctorate with distinction in neuro- and biobehavioral sciences from Stanford University (1979), earned under William C. Dement. She is a distinguished alumna of Gettysburg College and holds an honorary doctor of sciences degree from that institution. Carskadon's research focuses on circadian timing systems and sleep/wake patterns in children, adolescents, and young adults. Her work on school start times has significantly influenced public health policy, prompting organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and CDC to advocate for later school schedules. She developed the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) with Dr. Dement, which remains a global standard for assessing sleep disorders. Current research examines sleep-health disparities in urban children with asthma, sleep patterns in suicide risk populations, and the impact of sleep restriction on adolescent performance. Her extensive publication record shows consistent focus on adolescent sleep physiology, circadian rhythms, and public health implications. Recent work explores connections between sleep timing, mental health, and academic performance, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, while maintaining her foundational work on sleep measurement methodologies. Lifetime Achievement Award of the National Sleep Foundation Distinguished Scientist and Outstanding Educator Awards of the Sleep Research Society (the latter now presented in her name) 2023 Brown University Distinguished Research Achievement Award William C. Dement Academic Achievement Award (2023) V. Sagar Sethi, M.D., Mental Health Research Award Leadership in Sleep Medicine Award from American Academy of Physicians of Indian Origin-Sleep Elected Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Carskadon directs the NIH/NIGMS-funded Bradley Hospital COBRE Center, mentoring junior researchers in pediatric sleep and circadian rhythms. She serves as inaugural editor-in-chief of SLEEP Advances and has secured multiple NIH grants including R01 HL142058 examining ethnic differences in children's sleep patterns with asthma, P20 GM139743 for the COBRE center, and R01 HD103665 investigating sleep restriction effects using neuroimaging. Her work bridges laboratory research with real-world applications, particularly in school policy reform and health equity initiatives. She leads multiple research teams including the CLASS Study (Circadian Light in Adolescence, Sleep and School), projects on sleep disruption in urban children with asthma, and studies examining sleep's role in opioid use disorder treatment. Her laboratory continues to innovate in sleep measurement techniques while maintaining longitudinal studies on adolescent sleep patterns across developmental stages.
Dr. Alyson K. Zalta is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological Science at the University of California, Irvine, where she directs the Trauma & Resilience Lab. As a clinical psychologist, her research focuses on alleviating trauma-related mental health burdens through innovative interventions and understanding resilience mechanisms. Education B.A. in Psychology, Harvard University Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, University of Pennsylvania Clinical Internship, VA Palo Alto Healthcare System Postdoctoral Fellowship, Rush University Medical Center Her research spans trauma, PTSD, resilience, transdiagnostic approaches, and moral injury, with emphasis on high-risk populations including veterans, homeless youth, and urban violence survivors. She integrates neurobiology with behavioral science to identify core trauma pathology mechanisms, exploring novel interventions like light therapy, intensive treatment protocols, and mobile health solutions for vulnerable groups. Her transdiagnostic framework targets universal trauma processes across diagnostic boundaries. Recent publications (2024-2018) reveal consistent focus on moral injury (in nurses, incarcerated individuals, and veterans), circadian-based PTSD treatments, and social determinants of trauma recovery. She employs mixed-methods designs across diverse settings, from pandemic frontline healthcare to homeless youth shelters, prioritizing scalable interventions for real-world impact. Scientific Affiliations Faculty, Interdisciplinary Institute for Salivary Bioscience Research Fellow, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory Dr. Zalta advises doctoral students in UCI's Psychological Science program (though not accepting new students for Fall 2026 admission) and disseminates findings through podcasts like Psychology Anthology and In the Open. Her Trauma & Resilience Lab actively develops translational research to inform trauma interventions, particularly for underserved populations requiring accessible mental health solutions.
Professor Andrew Coogan is a behavioral neuroscientist specializing in circadian rhythms, chronobiology, and sleep. He is a Professor at Maynooth University's Department of Psychology, part of the Faculty of Science & Engineering, and directs the Chronobiology and Sleep Research Laboratory. His research focuses on circadian clock function in human environments, with a strong emphasis on their impact on health conditions like ADHD, diabetes, and mental health. He holds a Bachelors from Trinity College Dublin and a PhD from University College Dublin, after which he worked in the UK before joining Maynooth in 2008, serving as Department Head from 2015–2021. Education: BSc (Trinity College Dublin), PhD (University College Dublin). Research Interests: His work spans circadian rhythms in disease contexts (e.g., ADHD, diabetes, Parkinson’s), sleep disorders, and societal impacts of light pollution. He investigates how circadian disruptions influence health outcomes, using interdisciplinary approaches combining neuroscience, chronobiology, and clinical studies. Recent studies focus on pandemic-related sleep changes, chronotherapeutics, and sleep timing in metabolic disorders. Publications & Grants: Over 120 peer-reviewed papers (H-index 44), funded by grants from Science Foundation Ireland, Health Research Board, and others. His articles analyze topics like vaccine timing, social jetlag in diabetes, and ADHD chronobiology. Collaborations span Europe, addressing global health challenges through circadian lens. Awards & Recognition: While no specific awards are listed, his extensive publications and leadership roles reflect significant scholarly impact. Advising & Teams: Supervised 11 PhD, 5 MSc, and 2 MD students. Leads the Chronobiology and Sleep Research Lab, collaborating widely on clinical and basic research projects. Future Work: Ongoing studies include circadian data collection in bipolar disorder (AMBIENT-BD) and societal-level sleep patterns post-pandemic. He advocates for evidence-based chronotherapeutic strategies in clinical settings.
Peter X. K. Song is a Professor in the Department of Biostatistics at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. With expertise spanning statistical methodology development and interdisciplinary applications, Dr. Song maintains active collaborations across Nutritional Sciences, Environmental Health Sciences, Chronic Disease research, and Nephrology. His work bridges theoretical statistics with practical healthcare solutions, focusing on innovative approaches to complex data challenges in public health and medicine. Based at the M4140 SPH II building in Ann Arbor, he leads the Song Lab and contributes significantly to the academic community through teaching, research mentorship, and scholarly publications. PhD, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, 1996 BS, Jilin University, Changchun, 1985 Dr. Song's research focuses on the statistical foundation of big data analytics, with particular emphasis on data integration, distributed inference, high-dimensional data analysis, longitudinal data analysis, mediation analysis, and spatiotemporal modeling. His methodological innovations address critical challenges in smart health applications, including organ exchange programs, children's health, chronic disease management, environmental health assessment, and nutritional sciences. His approach combines statistical theory, integer optimization, and algorithm development to create practical tools that help researchers understand complex relationships between environmental exposures and health outcomes. Dr. Song's publication record demonstrates a consistent trajectory of methodological innovation applied to pressing health challenges. His recent work shows increasing focus on sleep classification using AI techniques, personalized treatment effect analysis, distributed statistical methods for high-dimensional data, and epigenetic applications in adolescent health. The interdisciplinary nature of his research is evident in publications spanning biostatistics journals, computer science venues, and domain-specific medical publications. His work increasingly addresses the challenges of integrating diverse data sources while maintaining statistical rigor in the era of big data. IMS Fellow ASA Fellow Elected Member of the International Statistical Institute 2017 ENAR John Van Ryzin Award Dr. Song has mentored an impressive 22 PhD students and 6 postdoctoral trainees throughout his career, with many now holding faculty positions at prestigious institutions or working as data scientists in leading technology companies. His lab, the Song Lab, currently supports two postdoctoral research fellows and eight doctoral students working on cutting-edge statistical methodology development. His collaborative research extends across numerous grants that support interdisciplinary projects in kidney paired donation programs, environmental health studies, nutritional sciences, and chronic disease research, demonstrating his commitment to translating statistical innovation into practical health solutions. The Song Lab serves as a hub for interdisciplinary statistical research at the University of Michigan, bringing together experts from statistics, operations research, and machine learning to address complex challenges in medical and public health sciences. Current lab members include eight doctoral students and three postdoctoral fellows working on projects related to optimal organ matching strategies, causal mediation pathways of omics biomarkers, and statistical methods for big data integration. The lab maintains strong connections with clinical researchers across nephrology, pediatrics, environmental health sciences, and nutritional sciences, ensuring that methodological developments remain grounded in real-world applications.
Christopher Mlynski is a researcher at the Department of Occupational, Economic and Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna. His work focuses on self-control mechanisms, cognitive fatigue, and environmental psychology, particularly how lay beliefs influence pro-environmental behavior and motivational shifts. His research spans psychophysiological responses to behavioral challenges, ego depletion, and the interplay between cardiovascular metrics and psychological effort. Recent publications highlight collaborations with Veronika Job and colleagues on disengagement strategies and reward systems in mental labor. Key trends in his 7 publications (2016–2025) include empirical investigations into inhibitory control, task disengagement, and the physiological correlates of motivation. His work bridges experimental psychology with practical applications in environmental behavior and self-regulation.
Dr. Peggy Reynolds is a professor at the University of California San Francisco, specializing in environmental epidemiology and cancer risk factors. As a co-director of the Integrated Health Sciences Facility Core (IHSFC) within UCSF's Environmental Research and Translation for Health (EaRTH) Center, she supports environmental health research across disciplines. Her work bridges geographic information systems (GIS), biomarkers, and community health assessments. Education: BA in Psychology (UC Santa Cruz, 1968), MPH in Behavioral Science (UC Berkeley, 1978), PhD in Epidemiology (UC Berkeley, 1983) Reynolds leads the California Teachers Study, a landmark prospective cohort study examining environmental, occupational, and lifestyle factors related to cancer and chronic diseases. Her research spans PFAS exposure, wildfire smoke impacts, occupational chemical risks, and sleep-wake patterns as cancer risk modifiers. Recent publications highlight her focus on environmental contaminants (PFAS, brominated flame retardants), wildfire-related health risks, and epigenetic effects of pollution. Her work emphasizes climate justice, drinking water safety, and community health disparities, particularly in disadvantaged populations. Reynolds has secured over $20M in research funding from NIH, NCI, and California Breast Cancer Research Program, including grants for maternal/child cancer risks, sleep-cancer mechanisms, and innovative infrastructure for environmental health research.
Eva Lindberg is a Professor at the Department of Medical Sciences , Uppsala University , specializing in Lung, Allergy, and Sleep Research . She has contributed extensively to understanding the interplay between sleep-related disorders and respiratory/cardiovascular health. Research Themes : Sleep apnea, COPD, asthma, cardiometabolic risks, population-based studies. Key Collaborations : RHINESSA, SCAPIS, MUSTACHE cohorts. Her 2025 publications focus on cardiovascular consequences of sleep apnea, proteomic associations in lung disease, and cancer risks linked to nocturnal breathing disorders. Earlier work (2024–2022) examines obesity, physical activity, and environmental factors in sleep and respiratory health. Eva Lindberg is actively involved in clinical trials for sleep apnea interventions, including behavioral medicine and device-based therapies. She emphasizes sex-specific differences in sleep disorder diagnosis and outcomes.
