Individual differences in sleep, circadian timing, and alertness in shift workers

We have positions available for up to two PhD students next year on the SIM Study (Shiftworker Individualised Modelling). Shorter projects, including Honours projects, are also available. In humans, the circadian system, or “body clock,” controls how a number of bodily and mental functions change over the course of the day. In particular, the circadian system helps control our sleep-wake patterns. When people perform shift work, they are often required to work at times when the circadian system is promoting sleep, and to sleep when the circadian system is promoting wake. This can lead to difficulty sleeping, fatigue, and difficulty staying alert. Light is the main signal that sets the timing of the human circadian clock. We have recently discovered that people vary considerably in how their circadian clock responds to light, and in how their circadian clock responds to shift work. This means that the same pattern of light exposure in two individuals could result in dramatically different circadian timing, sleep, and performance. The SIM Study seeks to understand more about these individual differences in shift workers, and to develop models that can make individually tailored predictions that can be used to reduce risk in the workplace, and improve scheduling to maximise performance and improve sleep. Multiple research questions are possible within this research program, and can be discussed with the supervision team to best suit the interest of the candidate. The successful candidate will gain skills in conducting field and laboratory studies, and advanced analytical techniques. The successful candidate will work under the mentorship of Dr Andrew Phillips (Primary Supervisor), and work with collaborators who are leading experts across Monash University (A/Prof Sean Cain, Dr Julia Stone), Central Queensland University (Prof Sally Ferguson, Dr Matthew Thomas), and Washington State University (Prof Hans Van Dongen).