Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory Administrative Research Center (ARC), Room A29 3100 Marine Street Boulder, CO 80309-0554 phone: 303-735-1923 fax: 303-735-2864

Research Interests

• The influence of sleep and circadian rhythms on human physiology (general physiology, neuroendocrine, metabolic function) and behavior (sleepiness, memory, learning, mood, cognitive and balance performance) with application to public health and safety.

Personnel

• Director: Kenneth P. Wright Jr., Ph.D.


• Graduate Students: Sara C. Bessman, Tina M. Burke, Zakeih Chaker, Christopher M. Jung, M.S., Rachel R. Markwald, M.S., Jesse A. Snider.


• Undergraduate Students: Ben Ball, Christine Barthe, Lindsay Boothby, Emily Frydendall, Brandon Griffin, Patrick Hennessey, Adrien Hughes, ThuyAn Le, Nate Low, Michelle Miller, Bela Mohapatra, Gaddy Noy, Funmi Ogunremi, Jamie Pfahl, Alyssa Scharf, Paulo Serapio, Alice Shallcross, Haley Stewart, Melissa Taylor, Daniel Thousand.


• Professional Research Assistants: Evan Chinoy, BA, Gayle K. Wright, MSW, LCSW.


• Collaborators: Charles A. Czeisler, Ph.D., M.D., Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital; Robert H. Eckel, M.D., University of Colorado Denver Medical School; Edward Melanson, Ph.D., University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

Current Research Projects

• Influence of sleep loss and circadian disruption on cognitive function.


• Effects of sleep inertia on human performance.


• Melatonin analogs, sleep and insomnia.


• Countermeasures to improve sleep and wakefulness.


• The metabolic cost of sleep loss.


• Aging, hypnotics, and falls.


• Resetting the human circadian clock with photic and non-photic stimuli.

Persons interested in volunteering to participate in one of these studies should visit the sleep study participant page.

Opportunities for Undergraduate Students

• The requirements for undergraduate students who want a research experience in our Laboratory are:
• A strong desire to obtain research experiences prior to graduate school, medical school, or advanced study in a health-related field.
• Minimum commitment: One year
• Minimum hours/week when testing subjects: 10 hours (includes journal club)
• Minimum experience: No prior experience required
• Must be willing to work with a team
• Must be able to work various hours during the day, at night, and on weekends.


• UROP, independent study, honors thesis, and concurrent BA-MS opportunities are available.


• For more information, contact Prof. Ken Wright (kenneth.wright@colorado.edu).

Recent Publications

• Frey DJ, Fleshner M, Wright KP Jr. The effects of 40 hours of total sleep deprivation on inflammatory markers in healthy young adults. Brain Behavior and Immunity 21: 1050-1057, 2007.


• Gronfier C, Wright KP Jr, Krounauer RE, Czeisler CA. Entrainment of the human circadian pacemaker to longer-than-24-h days. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 104: 9081-9086, 2007.


• Sack RL, Auckley D., Auger R., Carskadon MA, Wright Jr. KP, Vitiello MV, Zhdanova IV. Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders: Part I, Basic Principles, Shift Work and Jet Lag Disorders An American Academy of Sleep Medicine Review. Sleep 30: 1460-1483, 2007.


• Sack RL, Auckley D., Auger R., Carskadon MA, Wright Jr. KP, Vitiello MV, Zhdanova IV. Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders: Part II, Advanced Sleep Phase Disorder, Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder, Free-Running Disorder, and Irregular Sleep-Wake Rhythm An American Academy of Sleep Medicine Review. Sleep 30: 1484-1501, 2007.


• Scheer FA, Wright KP Jr, Kronauer RE, Czeisler CA. Plasticity of the intrinsic period of the human circadian timing system. Public Library of Science ONE 2:e721, 2007.


• St-Hilaire MA, Klerman EB, Khalsa SB, Wright KP Jr, Czeisler CA, Kronauer RE. Addition of a non-photic component to a light-based mathematical model of the human circadian pacemaker. Journal of Theoretical Biology 247: 583-599, 2007.

Funding

• 1999-2009, NASA 98 HEDSO2E394, "Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure During Space Flight"


• 2006-2010, NIH R01 HL081761, "Circadian Integration of Photic and Non-Photic Stimuli".