Sleep, Airway and Circadian Rhythms

Both sleep and airway research are supported heavily within the Division of Pulmonary Medicine because of their importance on mental and physical health. Our team focuses on cutting edge research to decipher patterns of airflow in the large airway, from the nose and mouth to the carina, which becomes very complex in conditions like cystic fibrosis, sleep apnea, Down syndrome and craniofacial malformations. Alister Bates, PhD, uses computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to understand air flow, velocity, and pressure. His research demonstrates that airway regions with high resistance can be virtually altered to understand the effect of future treatment. Treatment and intervention of sleep disordered breathing and obstructive sleep apnea, both of which affect long-term health and outcomes, include breathing and surgical interventions, a focus of Raouf Amin, MD’s research. Narong Simakajornboon, MD, has been studying sleep patterns and disruption for over 20 years, with wide ranging research from OSA interventions to hypoxic effects on the developing brain.

New discoveries related to mechanisms of the circadian clock have revolutionized our understanding of sleep regulation and overall health. John Hogenesch, PhD, has discovered several core clock genes and established that they have essential roles in regulating physiology and behavior. Disruption of the circadian clock in the setting of obstructive sleep apnea is also an area of active research. David Smith, MD, PhD, is creating new treatments for obstructive sleep apnea that relate to this circadian disruption and correction.