New Miller School Program Focused on Leading Sleep Science Research, Training, Community Empowerment Girardin Jean-Louis, Ph.D., one of the world’s leading experts on advancing the science and practice of sleep and circadian sciences, will direct the new Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences (TSCS) Program in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The former professor of Population Health and Psychiatry at NYU Langone Health recently received a National Institute of Aging Career Leadership Award to develop the program. He said he chose the Miller School as the program’s home for a few reasons. “The Miller School’s groundbreaking work on the role of African ancestry and dementia is crucial to delineating the effects of poor sleep and circadian disorganization in added risks for cardiovascular disease and brain injury. The Miller School also stood out for its outstanding leadership of investigators in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia research; development of novel integrative therapeutics to forestall the onset of dementia or ameliorate its symptomatology; and access to a diverse population and community health champions,” Dr. Jean-Louis said. Translational sleep and circadian sciences focus on investigating how sleep deficiencies and circadian misalignment, or a misalignment of the body’s internal clock, impact development of cardiovascular disease, dementia, and other chronic health problems. Translational sciences “translate” information learned in the laboratory to patient care in the clinic and populations in the community. The new Miller School program will look specifically at how interventions aimed at better sleep quality can improve the health of minority populations that are disproportionately affected by problems associated with sleep. The new focus on translational sleep and circadian sciences at the Miller School is timely and representative of medicine’s future, according to Henri R. Ford, M.D., M.H.A., dean and chief academic officer of the Miller School. “The pandemic has highlighted the importance of mental health and wellness, and the sleep sciences are vital to both,” Dr. Ford said. “Personalized, multi-dimensional and inclusive care will be the hallmark of American
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medicine in the not too distant future. The Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences (TSCS) program checks all those boxes, adding an important dimension of care to not only the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences but also influencing so many other specialties.” Dr. Barbara J. Coffey, professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, added, “We are absolutely delighted and honored that Dr. Jean-Louis has chosen to bring his innovative program to the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. This program will not only advance translational science, future clinical care and address health care disparities, but will also accelerate new collaborations among our Department faculty and our colleagues in Neurology, Sleep Medicine, Pulmonology, Public Health Sciences and other medical specialties.” The Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences Program has three pillars: research, training, and community engagement and empowerment, according to Dr. Jean-Louis. left to right: Clarence Earl Locklear, Arlener Turner, Girardin Jean-Louis, Tocarra Ware, Kaitlin Hahn, Crystal Vidal, not pictured: Judite Blanc, assistant research professor
