History
In 1961, a small group of sleep researchers decided to meet to share ideas and abstracts, and founded the organization that eventually became the Sleep Research Society. In the beginning, there were no officers, and the society did not have a formal name.
The first central communicator for the group was Joe Kamiya, the Secretary-Treasurer, who was appointed in late 1962. Two years later, this society of scientists adopted the name Association for the Psychophysiological Study of Sleep (APSS).
Members made many breakthroughs in sleep and sleep medicine in the decades following the society’s founding. Distinguished scientists including Charles Fisher, Roger Broughton, Elliot Weitzman and Al Rechtschaffen led the APSS during this period. Advancements include the discovery of sleep architecture, the understanding of REM sleep and its relationship to the mind and dreaming and the development of new clinical approaches to sleep disorders. These discoveries were often published in an annual publication of research abstracts called Sleep Research, which Michael Chase founded in 1972.
The society adopted its current name, the Sleep Research Society, in the 1980s. The previous acronym wasn’t completely abandoned: the Sleep Research Society’s partnership with the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) is named the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, or the APSS. The APSS hosts the annual SLEEP meeting, where researchers from around the world share their research abstracts.
The Sleep Research Society and the field of sleep research continue to enjoy immense growth and increased visibility. SRS Membership now consists of more than 1,400 researchers, ranging from promising young trainees to accomplished senior-level professors. Sleep research has become a multidisciplinary effort, encompassing researchers from psychology, pharmacology, neuroanatomy and beyond.
Name | Term |
---|---|
Joe Kamiya, PhD (Secretary/Treasurer) | 1962-1966 |
Charles Fisher, MD (Coordinating Secretary) David Foulkes, PhD (Executive Secretary) |
1966-1969 |
Anthony Kales, MD (Coodinating Secretary) G. Vernon Pegram, PhD (Executive Secretary) |
1970-1972 |
Roger Broughton, MD, PhD (Coordinating Secretary) Robert N. Emde, MD (Executive Secretary) |
1973-1975 |
John Karacan (Coordinating Secretary) Elliot D. Weitzman, MD (Executive Secretary) |
1976-1978 |
Allan Rechtschaffen, PhD (Coordinating Secretary) Thomas Roth, PhD (Executive Secretary) |
1979-1981 |
Gerald Vogel, MD (Coordinating Secretary) Peter Hauri (Executive Secretary) |
1982-1983 |
Howard P. Roffwarg, MD | 1985-1987 |
Michael H. Chase, PhD | 1988-1990 |
Robert W. McCarley, MD | 1991-1992 |
Ronald M. Harper, PhD | 1992-1993 |
Jerome Siegel, PhD | 1993-1994 |
Thomas Roth, PhD | 1994-1995 |
Adrian R. Morrison, PhD, DVM | 1995-1996 |
J. Christian Gillin, MD | 1996-1997 |
Wallace B. Mendelson, MD | 1997-1998 |
Timothy A. Roehrs, PhD | 1998-1999 |
Mary A. Carskadon, PhD | 1999-2000 |
Ralph Lydic, PhD | 2000-2001 |
David F. Dinges, PhD | 2001-2002 |
Ruth M. Benca, MD, PhD | 2002-2003 |
Emmanuel Mignot, MD, PhD | 2003-2004 |
Sonia Ancoli-Israel, PhD | 2004-2005 |
Charles A. Czeisler, PhD, MD | 2005-2006 |
Mark R. Opp, PhD | 2006-2007 |
Eric A. Nofzinger, MD | 2007-2008 |
Michael V. Vitiello, PhD | 2008-2009 |
Clifford B. Saper, MD, PhD | 2009-2010 |
James K. Walsh, PhD | 2010-2011 |
Phyllis C. Zee, PhD | 2011-2012 |
Ronald S. Szymusiak, PhD | 2012-2013 |
Janet M. Mullington, PhD | 2013-2014 |
Allan I. Pack, MBChB, PhD | 2014-2016 |
Sean P.A. Drummond, PhD | 2016-2018 |
Andrew D. Krystal, MD | 2018-2020 |
H. Craig Heller, PhD | 2020-2022 |
There is a rich history behind the study of sleep research. SRS members have access to classic papers that gave rise to the field of sleep medicine, and view abstracts from the very first meeting of the Association for the Psychophysical Study of Sleep.
Historical papers can only be accessed from your member account.
Not a member and want to explore the historical papers? Become a member today.
Conversations With Our Founders
The Sleep Research Society is proud to present a series of interviews with pioneers in the field of sleep research. These interviews serve to document the rich history of the field.
Many of the interviews in the Conversations With Our Founders series were recorded at SLEEP 2010 in San Antonio, where the SRS celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Special thanks go to members of the 50th Anniversary Task Force, especially Martica Hall, PhD; Gina Poe, PhD and Sonia Ancoli-Israel, PhD, Chair, for spearheading the Conversations With Our Founders project.
Interviews found in playlist:
- William Dement, MD, PhD
- Allan Rechtschaffen, PhD
- Rene Drucker-Colin, MD, PhD
- Ernest Hartmann, MD
- Robert McCarley, MD, PhD
- Peter Hauri, PhD
- Wallace Mendelson, MD
- William Dement, MD, PhD & Allan Rechtschaffen, PhD
- Sonia Ancoli-Israel, PhD
- Alex Borbely, MD
- Mary Carskadon, PhD
- Rosalind Cartwright, PhD
- Howard Roffwarg, MD
- Tom Roth, PhD
- Michael Chase, PhD
- Richard Ferber, MD
- Laverne Johnson, PhD
- Meir Kryger, MD
- Philip Westbrook, MD