Meet the Team

by Alice Braga, Ph.D. | Sleep Research Network

Introducing Susan Redline, M.D., M.P.H., Peter C. Farrell Professor of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School

A leading authority in sleep epidemiology and cardiopulmonary research, Dr. Susan Redline has driven major advances in understanding the health consequences of sleep disorders and in developing strategies to reduce sleep health disparities.

Highlights of her work:

  • Peter C. Farrell Professor of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School
  • Professor of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
  • Director, Division of Sleep and Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
  • M.D., Boston University School of Medicine; M.P.H., Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
  • Former faculty leader at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, where she served as Co-Director of the Geneva Medical Center for Advanced Sleep Medicine
  • Past Deputy Editor of Sleep and member of the Board of Directors, American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Research Focus:

  • Epidemiology, prevention, and treatment of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB)
  • Impact of sleep disorders on cardiovascular disease, cognition, and metabolic health
  • Molecular and phenotypic signatures of sleep apnea
  • Sleep health disparities, including racial and socioeconomic inequities in sleep duration and sleep quality
  • Community-engaged approaches to improve sleep health in underserved populations

Clinical Contributions:

  • Led landmark studies demonstrating that sleep-disordered breathing precedes and increases risk for cognitive impairment in older adults
  • Directed the Healthy Sleep/Healthy Hearts initiative to integrate sleep disorder screening and treatment into cardiovascular prevention programs
  • Advanced national understanding of racial disparities in sleep, including defining and characterizing the “Black–White sleep gap”
  • Leadership in the design and implementation of multi-site clinical and translational sleep research networks

Educational Contributions:

  • Longstanding mentor and educator in sleep medicine, epidemiology, and cardiopulmonary research
  • Chair of the Steering Committee for the Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative National Sleep Network
  • Recipient of the William C. Dement Academic Achievement Award for exceptional contributions to sleep education and academic advancement

Recognition and Awards:

  • American Thoracic Society Recognition Award for Scientific Accomplishments
  • 2012 Clinical Innovations Grant Award for sleep–cardiovascular integration initiatives
  • 2017 NHLBI R35 Outstanding Investigator Award (“Phenotypic and Molecular Signatures for Sleep Apnea”)
  • 2017 William C. Dement Academic Achievement Award
  • Appointment to the NHLBI Board of External Experts
  • Recognized among the world’s most influential researchers

To learn more about the Sleep Research Network (SRN), contact Melissa McKinzie at coordinator@srsnet.org.