Multiple Projects in Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience of Sleep

My program of research covers three broad areas: 1) Cognitive neuroscience of sleep and sleep deprivation; 2) Behavioural interventions for insomnia; and 3) Translational studies examining the mechanistic role of sleep in psychopathology, especially PTSD. Our studies include lab-based experimental studies, clinic-based treatment studies, and combinations of the two. We address our research questions in healthy controls, patients with insomnia, patients with PTSD, and other mental health populations. I work with my students (both research PhD and Clinical PhD students) to develop their own ideas and projects, providing an opportunity to experience every stage of the research process. Generally, students derive some of their data from ongoing studies and some from new studies and/or new methods they add to ongoing projects. Honours students will join an ongoing project and carve a piece out for their thesis. Currently, studies which could help form the basis of a PhD (or honours) thesis include: 1. Impacts of sleep loss and circadian disruption on decision making 2. An efficacy study of a novel partner-assisted intervention for insomnia, compared to the gold standard individual intervention 3. A study examining the mechanistic role of REM sleep in the fear processes underlying PTSD and anxiety disorders 4. Understanding the role of sleep in mental health disorders with an appetitive focus (e.g., addiction, excessive eating, gambling, etc) I am open to many ideas that fall broadly within my areas of interest and enjoy collaborating with other staff in Psychological Sciences.