University of Miami Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences Program

Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences Program

Our Vision The vision of the Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences (TSCS) Program is to serve as a collaborative learning laboratory and a university-wide resource to stimulate, support, and evaluate high-priority research in sleep and circadian sciences with a special focus on low-income and minoritized communities.

Our Mission The TSCS Program has a three-part mission: l

To amplify, through core faculty, concurrent NIH-funded research in understanding the mechanisms underlying racial and ethnic disparities in cardiometabolic and brain health conditions and testing multilevel, stakeholder-engaged interventions to promote healthy aging and disease management among individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease;

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To mentor junior scientists who are pursuing academic careers in aging research, using behavioral and integrative approaches from a variety of University of Miami Miller School of Medicine-based pre- and postdoctoral programs, with special effort made to enroll underrepresented minorities;

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To implement innovative research strategies in translational sleep and circadian sciences to reduce health disparities in cardiometabolic and brain health conditions and disseminate evidence generated from the program to improve clinical and public health practice and solution-focused health policies.

Education and Training The Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences (TSCS) Program is committed to providing education and training to the rising generation of researchers in the field of sleep and circadian sciences. Our experts offer a variety of opportunities for young researchers to gain hands-on experience by participating in NIHfunded research projects that will shape the future of diagnostic testing and treatment options for various sleep disorders using evidence-based therapeutic approaches. Students and fellows learn the rudiments of community-engaged interventions to improve health and quality of life in diverse communities in South Florida.

Program to Increase Diversity in Behavioral Medicine and Sleep Disorders Research (PRIDE) Summer Institute Our PRIDE Summer Institute empowers qualified underrepresented minority scientists to launch careers in the field of behavioral medicine and sleep disorders research. The PRIDE Summer Institute offers intensive, multidisciplinary research training and mentorship to junior-level faculty members and other scientists who come from underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups or who have a disability.

Research The overarching goal of Dr. Jean-Louis’ research is to address multi-level barriers hindering adoption of healthful practices in vulnerable communities. His research focuses on the application of agile behavioral models and integrative health approaches to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and brain injury.

Dr. Jean-Louis’ research also addresses the psychosocial and environmental determinants of health behavior preventing access to adequate care in diverse communities, disproportionately burdened by adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular outcomes. His current research addresses the mechanisms of sleep deficiency and its associations with markers of cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and brain injury, delineating the role of epigenetics and African ancestry.

About the Director Dr. Girardin Jean-Louis recently joined the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine to launch the Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences Program in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Previously, he served as Professor of Population Science and Psychiatry at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

Dr. Jean-Louis has been involved in several important NIH-funded studies, which have led to over 375 publications, primarily in sleep and cardiometabolic diseases, circadian rhythm, aging, and health equity. His studies aim to engage patients, community providers, and stakeholders in developing messages to promote health literacy at the community level.

Over the past 15 years, his work has been largely centered on the role of sleep in cardiometabolic conditions and optimal daily functioning. In the last 10 years, the overarching goal of his research has been to address patient-level, provider-level, and system-level barriers hindering adoption of healthful practices among minorities.

Dr. Jean-Louis has served on the NHLBI’s Sleep Disorders Research Advisory Board, the Cancer, Heart and Sleep Epidemiology study section, the National Advisory Council for Complementary and Integrative Health, and the Sleep Research Societies Board of Directors.

Dr. Girardin Jean-Louis is also the Director of the NHLBI-funded Program to Increase Diversity in Behavioral Medicine and Sleep Disorders Research (PRIDE) Summer Institute and Director of the T32 Program on Translational Behavioral Cardiovascular Health Research. He recently received an NIA Career Leadership Award to develop a Center on Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences.

University of Miami Health System Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Soffer Clinical Research Center 1120 NW 14th Street | 14th Floor | Miami, Florida 33136 Phone: 305.243.7931 Girardin.jean-louis@miami.edu