Ongoing Projects
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Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound Modulation of Deep Brain Structures to Enhance REM Sleep
In this study, participants sleep overnight while we monitor their brain activity and test gentle, non-invasive brain stimulation. The goal is to improve sleep and memory consolidation in people with disrupted sleep, PTSD, or a history of brain injury.
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Insomnia, Nightmares, and Sympathetic Activity Investigation in the Warfighter
We are conducting a cutting-edge clinical trial using wearable technology to improve sleep in Warfighters with insomnia and sympathetic nervous system hyperactivity, while simultaneously validating biomarkers of autonomic and glymphatic function.
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Local Sleep in the Waking Brain: A Novel Target for Cognitive Fatigue
This study explores what causes the brain to feel tired after long periods of wakefulness and aims to find new ways—both behavioral and medical—to prevent the negative effects of sleep loss. It focuses on “local sleep in wake”, when small brain regions briefly enter a sleep-like state during wakefulness, leading to lapses in attention and reduced performance.
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In vivo Imaging of Glymphatic Circulation: Measurement of Brain Interstitial Fluid Flow During Wake and Sleep with Ultra– Hight Performance MRI
This project is creating new brain imaging tools to measure how fluid flows in the brain during sleep, helping us understand how poor sleep affects health and performance—especially in Service Members who work long or irregular hours.
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Getting to Gut: Comparative Body Site Sampling Toward Less Invasive Gut Microbiome Assessment in Military Personnel/Athletes
This study explores whether less invasive sampling methods can reliably reflect gut microbiome changes, making it easier to study brain injury-related biomarkers in future research.
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Assessment of Changes in Human Blood Proteome Following Total Sleep Deprivation
This study looks at how proteins in the blood change after recovery sleep following sleep deprivation. By analyzing both general blood proteins and those from brain-related cell fragments called exosomes, we aim to uncover biological markers linked to how well someone recovers and potential resiliency to sleep loss.
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SRS Foundation Small Research Grant
This study measures how people respond to total sleep deprivation by tracking attention lapses using a reaction-time test and changes in brain activity during deep sleep. We will examine how fluid shifts in the brain vary after sleep loss using near-infrared light technology and explore genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease through a broad genetic screening approach.
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Previous Projects
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SWIFT - Sleep-Wake Intracerebral Fluid Tracking: frequency-domain near-infrared glymphatics in TBI
This study uses advanced brain imaging and sleep tracking to explore how sleep deprivation affects fluid movement in the brain. By comparing healthy sleepers and individuals with brain injuries, we aim to better understand how sleep impacts brain health and recovery.
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