Sleep Research Network

The Sleep Research Network Task Force is a sub-group within the Sleep Research Society. The Task Force is focused on working toward sustainable multi-institutional collaborations in sleep and circadian research. Comprised of an evolving group of researchers, they are currently led by Dr. Diego Mazzotti as the Chair, and Dr. Nalaka Gooneratne as the Vice-Chair. This group encompasses researchers from institutions across the nation, such as the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Kansas, Stanford School of Medicine, Harvard School of Medicine, University of Arizona, and more.

The SRN is currently working on developing a clinical trials network to assist researchers in establishing multi-site studies. To this end, the SRN is currently identifying and partnering with various sites to support data harmonization. We have developed a survey to query these sites and are in the process of communicating and compiling responses. By partnering with these networks, the SRN can connect investigators with resources and infrastructure that will ease their development of research studies.   The group is also in the process of putting together a workshop to discuss developing multi-site studies and foster connections between researchers in the sleep community.

Projects and Activities

The SRN partners with the National Sleep Research Resource (NSRR, sleepdata.org) to provide expertise on the identification, prioritization and implementation of common data elements (CDEs) relevant for sleep and circadian biology. A recent publication in the journal SLEEP, which reported on the outcomes of a sleep and circadian data harmonization workshop led by the SRN discusses the gaps and opportunities towards creating sustainable data and metadata specifications that are FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable).

The SRN supports the development of educational materials, including workshops on innovative clinical trial designs, as well as sleep and circadian data harmonization. These educational initiatives are fundamental to train the next generation of sleep and circadian scientists.

One of the goals of the SRN is to facilitate the development of multi-site studies within sleep and circadian biology. The SRN is currently collecting detailed information about clinical trial and observational studies capabilities across multiple sites in the United States. The initial database consists of sites that are also part of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards Program, meaning that these sites are well positioned to offer multi-site study infrastructure for sleep investigators. The database continues to grow as more sites are onboarded.

Mandate

The SRS Sleep Research Network (SRN) Task Force aims to promote sustainable multi-institutional collaborations in sleep and circadian The SRN facilitates identification of resources and infrastructure to support investigators as they collaborate on the creation and implementation of multidisciplinary projects in core areas such as genetics, longitudinal cohort studies, and clinical/pragmatic clinical trials. Training the next generation of sleep and circadian investigators is integral to SRS mission.

Members

Leadership

  • 2023-2026 Chair: Diego Mazzotti, PhD – University of Kansas Medical Center
  • 2023-2026 Vice-Chair: Nalaka Gooneratne, MD – University of Pennsylvania
  • SRS Board Liaison: Daniel Buysse, MD – University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
  • SRS Executive Director: John Noel – Sleep Research Society

Members

  • Eilis Boudreau, MD, PhD – Portland VA Medical Center and Oregon Health & Science University
  • Clete Kushida, MD, PhD – Stanford Sleep Medicine Center
  • Rachel Manber, PhD – Stanford School of Medicine
  • Reena Mehra, MD – Case Western Reserve University
  • Janet M. Mullington, PhD – Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
  • Sairam Parthasarathy, MD – University of Arizona Health Sciences
  • Shaun Purcell, PhD – Brigham and Women’s Hospital
  • Susan Redline, MD – Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
  • Ariel Williamson, PhD – University of Oregon

Staff

  • Megan Gertz, Coordinator – Sleep Research Society

For questions, comments or concerns regarding advocacy efforts, please contact SRS Coordinator at coordinator@srsnet.org.