NEWS & EVENTS
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2018 Research Conference on Sleep and the Health of Women

October 16 - 17 , 2018
Natcher Conference Center, Ruth L. Kirschstein Auditorium
45 Center Dr.
National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894

Description

The 2018 Research Conference on Sleep and the Health of Women was intended to sound a wakeup call throughout society about the importance of sleep for the health of women. It showcased a decade of federally funded research advances in understanding health risks, societal burden, and treatment options associated with sleep deficiency and sleep disorders in women.

Researchers and the public presented and discussed the state of the science regarding sleep and the health of women; the limitations to implement what is already known; and the opportunities to translate scientific findings into practice and routine care. The discussion panels engaged public stakeholders to identify actionable new directions and areas in which research is needed.

The conference was the result of a collaborative partnership among the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research (NCSDR) of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health, and the HHS Office on Women’s Health, participating members of the trans NIH Sleep Research Coordinating Committee and other Federal agencies.

Watch recorded webcast: Day 1, Day 2

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Agenda

7:00 AM
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Registration

8:00 AM
-
Welcome and Opening Remarks

Photo of Dr. Gary GibbonsGary H. Gibbons, M.D.
Director
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Dr. Gibbons oversees the third largest institute at the NIH, with an annual budget of more than $3 billion and a staff of 917 federal employees. 
Prior to being named director of the NHLBI, Gibbons served as a member of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council (NHLBAC) from 2009-2012. He was also a member of the NHLBI Board of Extramural Experts (BEE), a working group of the NHLBAC.

 

 

 

8:15 AM
-
Keynote Speaker

Photo of Dr. Jennifer WiderJennifer Wider, M.D.
Women’s health expert, author and radio host. 

Jennifer Wider, M.D., is a nationally renowned women’s health expert, author and radio host. She has appeared on The Today Show, CBS News, ABC News Nightline, Fox News, Good Day NY, HuffPost Live and The Bethenny Show.  Dr. Wider is a medical adviser to Cosmopolitan magazine and hosts a weekly radio segment on Sirius XM Stars called “Am I Normal?”. She has been heard on Bloomberg Radio, Howard Stern, Oprah Radio, WABC-AM Talk Radio, among many other stations across the country.

8:40 AM
-
Sleep and Circadian Rhythms

David Dinges, Ph.D.
Professor and Chief, Division of Sleep and Chronobiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

 

9:05 AM
-
Sleep and the Health of Women

Katherine Sharkey, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Dean for Women in Medicine and Science, Associate Professor of Medicine, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

9:30 AM - 10:40 AM
-
Sleep and Transitional Periods across the Lifespan

Session Introduction
Xenia Tigno, Ph.D.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Panelists
Hadine Joffe, M.D.MSc.
Natalie Shaw, M.D., MMSc.
Nancy Schmieder Redeker, Ph.D., RN, FAHA, FAAN

Panel Q and A
Moderator
Sung Sug (Sarah) Yoon, RN, Ph.D.
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)

 

10:40 AM - 12:00 PM
-
Sleep Health and Health Disparities

Session Introduction
Eliseo J. Perez-Stable, M.D.
Director, National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities

Panelists
Chandra Jackson, Ph.D., M.S.
Alberto Ramos, M.D., MSPH, FAASM
Tiffany Powell – Wiley, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA

Panel Q and A
Moderator
Nancy Jones, Ph.D.
National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)

12:00 PM
-
Lunch* and Poster Session

*Lunch on your own.

1:05 PM
-
Stakeholders Speak: Wake Up Call on Barriers, Challenges, Opportunities

HHS Office on Women's Health Stakeholder Panel

Barriers, challenges, and opportunities for implementation of research findings, and the adoption of policies and practices that improve sleep health in women.

Moderator
Nicole Greene
Acting Director
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health

Panelists
Regina Davis Moss, Ph.D., MPH, MCHES
Associate Executive Director of Public Health Policy and Practice
American Public Health Association (APHA)

C. Grace Whiting, J.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer
National Alliance for Caregiving

Lisa Dubay, Ph.D., ScM
Senior Fellow
Health Policy Center at the Urban Institute

2:05 PM
-
Alcohol Consumption and Sleep: Is It Different for Women?

Session Introduction     
George Koob, Ph.D.
Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Panelists
Does gender affect sleep, circadian timing, and alcohol use in first-year college students?
Mary Carskadon, Ph.D.

Sleep Health in Women: Effects of Alcohol
Fiona Baker, Ph.D.

Sleep Disturbances and Risk for Alcohol Problems: Different pathways for Males and Females?
Brant Hasler, Ph.D., CBSM

Panel Q and A      
Moderator
Soundar Regunathan, Ph.D.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

3:25 PM
-
Gender/Sex-related Sleep Differences in Neurological and Mental Health Disorders

Session Introduction     
Aleksandra Vicentic, Ph.D.
National Institute Mental Health (NIMH)

Panelists
Monika Haack, Ph.D.
Ruth Benca, M.D., Ph.D.
Gina Poe, Ph.D.
Christina Hoven, Ph.D.

Panel Q and A      
Moderator
Yejun (Janet) He, Ph.D.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

5:00 PM
-
Closing Remarks/Adjourn

7:00 AM
-
Registration

8:00 AM
-
Opening Remarks

Photo of Janine ClaytonJanine Clayton, M.D.
Director, NIH Office of Research on Women's Health

Dr. Clayton has strengthened NIH support for research on diseases, disorders, and conditions that affect women. She is the architect of the NIH policy requiring scientists to consider sex as a biological variable across the research spectrum, a part of NIH’s initiative to enhance reproducibility, rigor, and transparency. As co-chair of the NIH Working Group on Women in Biomedical Careers with NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins, Dr. Clayton also leads NIH’s efforts to advance women in science careers.

8:10 AM
-
Keynote Speaker

Photo of Stacey D. Stewart Stacey D. Stewart 
 President, March of Dimes 

 Stacey D. Stewart joined March of Dimes as its fifth President on January 1, 2017.  In this role, Stewart  heads the organization leading the fight for the health of all moms and babies. She is responsible for all aspects of the organization's strategy, vision and operations.

Stewart came to March of Dimes from United Way Worldwide, where she held several positions, most recently serving as U.S. President of United Way, the nation's largest nonprofit organization. There she provided strategic direction for more than 1,000 local United Ways. Stewart was also responsible for United Way's national efforts in education, financial stability and health as well as guiding efforts to enhance the brand and grow revenue. Stewart spearheaded the transformation of United Way from a pass-through fundraiser to a leading organization for local community impact. Prior to becoming U.S. President, Stewart served as Executive Vice President, Community Impact Leadership and Learning. In this role, Stewart developed global partnerships to advance community impact in more than 40 countries.

8:35 AM
-
Cardiovascular Health in Women

Session Introduction     
NIH Staff

Panelists
Stacie Daugherty, M.D.
Ghada Bourjeily, M.D.
Jason Carter, Ph.D.

Panel Q and A      
Moderator
Catherine Stoney, Ph.D.  
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

9:45 AM
-
Complementary Approaches to Sleep Disturbances

Session Introduction     
Lanay Mudd, Ph.D.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Panelists
Julie Otte, PhD, RN, OCN
Jason Ong, Ph.D.
Suzanne Bertisch, M.D., MPH
Michael Timothy Smith, M.A., Ph.D.

Panel Q and A      
Moderator
Inna Belfer, M.D., Ph.D.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

11:15 AM
-
Sex/Gender Differences in Glucose Metabolism

Session Introduction     
Karen Teff, Ph.D.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Panelists
Vanessa Leone, Ph.D.
Kenneth Wright, Ph.D.
Esra Tasali, M.D.

Panel Q and A      
Moderator
Staff, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

12:15 PM
-
Lunch* and Poster Session

*Lunch on your own.

1:30 PM
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Stakeholders' Panel: Women Service Members and Veterans – Unique Challenges and Opportunities.

NIH Office of Research on Women's Health Stakeholder Panel

Panel Introduction
Gretchen Buckler, CDR, M.D., M.P.H.
NIH Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH)    

Panelists
Candy Wilson, PhD, APRN, WHNP-BC
Jennifer L. Martin, Ph.D., FAASM

Panel Moderator
Cheryl Anne Boyce, Ph.D.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

2:30 PM
-
Circadian Rhythms, Sleep and Cancer

Session Introduction     
Staff
National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Panelists
Shobhan Gaddameedhi, Ph.D.
Norman Ruby, Ph.D.

5:00 PM
-
Conference Adjourn

Select Speakers

Photo of Stacey D. Stewart
Stacey D. Stewart
March of Dimes
Stacey D. Stewart joined March of Dimes as its fifth President on January 1, 2017. In this role, Stewart heads the organization leading the fight for the health of all moms and babies. She is responsible for all aspects of the organization's strategy, vision and operations.
Stacey D. Stewart
Photo of Jennifer Wider, M.D.
Jennifer Wider, M.D.
Jennifer Wider, M.D.
Dr. Wider is a nationally renowned women’s health expert, author and radio host. She has appeared on The Today Show, CBS News, ABC News Nightline, Fox News, Good Day NY, HuffPost Live and The Bethenny Show.
Jennifer Wider, M.D.
Photo of Janine Austin Clayton, M.D.
Janine Austin Clayton, M.D.
Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH)
Associate Director for Research on Women's Health and Director of the Office of Research on Women's Health at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2012.
Janine Austin Clayton, M.D.
Photo of Dr. Gary Gibbons
Gary H. Gibbons, M.D.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Gary H. Gibbons, M.D., is Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where he oversees the third largest institute at the NIH.
Gary H. Gibbons, M.D.
Photo of Nicole Greene
Nicole Greene
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health (OWH)
Acting Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health and acts as the primary advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health — Women's Health.
Nicole Greene
Photo of George F. Koob, Ph.D.
George F. Koob, Ph.D.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Internationally-recognized expert on alcohol and stress, and the neurobiology of alcohol and drug addiction. He is the Director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).
George F. Koob, Ph.D.
Photo of Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, M.D.
Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, M.D.
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
Director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He oversees the Institute's $305 million budget to advance the science of minority health and health disparities.
Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, M.D.
David F. Dinges, Ph.D.
David Dinges, Ph.D.
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Professor and Chief, Division of Sleep and Chronobiology, Director of the Unit for Experimental Psychiatry, Vice Chair for Faculty Affairs and Professional Development in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.
David Dinges, Ph.D.
Photo of Katherine M. Sharkey, M.D., Ph.D.
Katherine M. Sharkey, M.D., Ph.D.
Brown University
Assistant Dean for Women in Medicine and Science, Associate Professor of Medicine, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University.
Katherine M. Sharkey, M.D., Ph.D.
Photo of Nancy Schmieder Redeker
Nancy Schmieder Redeker, Ph.D., RN, FAHA, FAAN
Yale University
Dr. Redeker’s sustained program of research, conducted over more than 25 years, addresses the role of sleep and sleep disorders among patients with acute and chronic conditions and the effects of behavioral sleep promotion interventions for clinical and community populations.
Nancy Schmieder Redeker, Ph.D., RN, FAHA, FAAN
Photo of Natalie Shaw
Natalie Shaw, MD, MMSc
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Dr. Shaw heads the Pediatric Neuroendocrinology Group and holds a secondary appointment in NIEHS Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory.
Natalie Shaw, MD, MMSc
Photo of Hadine Joffe
Hadine Joffe, MD, MSc
Harvard University Medical School
Dr. Joffe is the Executive Director of the Mary Horrigan Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Psychiatry at Brigham and Women’s Hospital; and the Paula A. Johnson Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
Hadine Joffe, MD, MSc
Photo of Chandra Jackson
Chandra Jackson, Ph.D., M.S.
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Dr. Jackson is an Earl Stadtman Tenure-Track Investigator and earned a M.S. in Cardiovascular Epidemiology from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a Ph.D. in Cardiovascular Epidemiology from The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Chandra Jackson, Ph.D., M.S.
Photo of Alberto Ramos
Alberto Ramos, M.D., MSPH, FAASM
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Dr. Ramos research is aimed at the intersection between sleep disorders, cerebrovascular disease and neurocognitive aging in population based studies. His work started with the multi-ethnic cohort of the Northern Manhattan study (NOMAS).
Alberto Ramos, M.D., MSPH, FAASM
Photo of Tiffany M. Powell-Wiley
Tiffany M. Powell-Wiley, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Her research group focuses on the racial and ethnic disparities of these chronic conditions. The group is working to design community-based interventions that can positively influence cardiometabolic health in high-risk communities.
Tiffany M. Powell-Wiley, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA
Photo of Mary A. Carskadon
Mary A. Carskadon, Ph.D.
Brown University
Carskadon's research includes examining associations of sleep regulatory mechanisms to sleep/wake behavior of children, adolescents, and young adults.
Mary A. Carskadon, Ph.D.
Photo of Fiona Baker
Fiona Baker, Ph.D.
SRI International
Dr. Baker has main research interests in body temperature, sleep interactions, sleep in women and circadian rhythms. Baker is a principal investigator in the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA).
Fiona Baker, Ph.D.
Photo of Brant P. Hasler
Brant P. Hasler, Ph.D.
University of Pittsburgh
Dr. Hasler’s research focuses on the role of sleep and circadian rhythms in regulating affect and motivation, particularly as relevant to affective disorders and substance abuse.
Brant P. Hasler, Ph.D.
Photo of Monika Haack
Monika Haack, Ph.D.
Harvard University Medical School
My research goals are directed at discovering the mechanisms involved in the relationship between insufficient sleep and the regulation of mood and pain. We study the sleep-pain relationship in experimental models of recurrent patterns of sleep restriction and recovery.
Monika Haack, Ph.D.
Photo of Ruth Benca
Ruth Benca, M.D., Ph.D.
University of California, Irvine
Dr. Benca has a broad background in basic and clinical sleep research. Her ongoing work has focused on the use of high-density EEG, actigraphy and home sleep testing to assess sleep and brain function in obstructive sleep apnea.
Ruth Benca, M.D., Ph.D.
Photo of Gina Poe
Gina Poe, Ph.D.
UCLA
The Poe lab investigates the mechanisms by which sleep traits serve learning and memory consolidation. Memories are encoded by the pattern of synaptic connections between neurons.
Gina Poe, Ph.D.
Photo of Christina Hoven
Christina Hoven, DrPH, MPH
Columbia University
Dr. Hoven's career has focused on improving children's mental health services. She was Principal Investigator of the 2002 study: "Effects of The World Trade Center Attacks on New York City Public School Students," conducted on a representative sample of 8,236 students.
Christina Hoven, DrPH, MPH
Photo of Ghada Bourjeily, M.D.
Ghada Bourjeily, M.D.
Brown University
Associate professor of medicine at Brown University and an attending physician in Pulmonary Services at the Women's Medicine Collaborative.
Ghada Bourjeily, M.D.
Photo of Jason C. Ong
Jason C. Ong, Ph.D.
Northwestern University
Associate Professor of Neurology (Sleep Medicine), Medical Social Sciences and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
Jason C. Ong, Ph.D.
Photo of Julie Elam Otte, PhD, RN, OCN
Julie Elam Otte, PhD, RN, OCN
Indiana University
Dr. Otte's independent program of biobehavioral research addresses symptom management in cancer and non-cancer populations. Specifically, she focuses on improving sleep problems in breast cancer survivors (BCS) and menopausal women.
Julie Elam Otte, PhD, RN, OCN
Photo of Suzanne M. Bertisch
Suzanne M. Bertisch, MD, MPH
Harvard University Medical School
Dr. Bertisch's research focuses 1) adapting sleep health interventions to a variety of community and clinical populations 2) impact of sleep disorders consequent influence on pain and cardiometabolic health.
Suzanne M. Bertisch, MD, MPH
Photo of Michael T. Smith
Michael Timothy Smith, M.A., Ph.D.
Johns Hopkins University
His NIH-funded research focuses on the neurobehavioral causes, consequences, and treatments of insomnia and sleep loss with an emphasis on the interface between sleep and pain.
Michael Timothy Smith, M.A., Ph.D.
Photo of Vanessa Leone
Vanessa Leone, Ph.D.
The University of Chicago
The main goals of my research are to determine how the oscillatory nature of the gut microbiome impacts host circadian clock function, influencing the host’s metabolic set-point in the context of diet-induced obesity.
Vanessa Leone, Ph.D.
Photo of Kenneth P. Wright Jr.
Kenneth P. Wright Jr., Ph.D.
University of Colorado Boulder
Dr. Wright's research interests are health and safety consequences of insufficient sleep and circadian misalignment. Development of countermeasures and treatments for sleep and circadian disruption to improve public health and safety.
Kenneth P. Wright Jr., Ph.D.
Photo of Esra Tasali
Esra Tasali, M.D.
University of Chicago
Dr.Tasali’s current research focuses on the role of sleep disturbances in the development of metabolic and endocrine abnormalities including type 2 diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Esra Tasali, M.D.
Photo of Shobhan Gaddameedhi
Shobhan Gaddameedhi, Ph.D.
Washington State University
The long term of goal of the Gaddameedhi lab is to under on how the sleep influence on cancer development and on the effectiveness of circadian clock on anti-cancer treatment.
Shobhan Gaddameedhi, Ph.D.
Photo of Regina Davis
Regina Davis Moss, Ph.D., MPH, MCHES
American Public Health Association (APHA)
Associate executive director of public health policy and practice for the American Public Health Association, where she oversees the Center for Public Health Policy; Center for Professional Development, Public Health Systems and Partnerships; and Center for School, Health and Education.
Regina Davis Moss, Ph.D., MPH, MCHES
Photo of C. Grace Whiting
C. Grace Whiting, J.D.
National Alliance for Caregiving
President and Chief Executive Officer at the Alliance, where she continues her tenure from previous roles including Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Strategic Partnerships.
C. Grace Whiting, J.D.
Photo of Lisa Dubay
Lisa Dubay, Ph.D., ScM
Urban Institute
Senior fellow in the Health Policy Center at the Urban Institute and a nationally recognized expert on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Lisa Dubay, Ph.D., ScM
Photo of Cheryl Anne Boyce, Ph.D
Cheryl Anne Boyce, Ph.D.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Chief of the Implementation Science Branch, NHLBI's Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science. Responsible for strong research and policy collaborations across agencies on child development, developmental risk, health treatment and implementation of evidence-based practice.
Cheryl Anne Boyce, Ph.D.
Photo of Jennifer L. Martin
Jennifer L. Martin, Ph.D., FAASM
VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System
Dr. Martin is Associate Director for Clinical and Health Services Research at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System’s Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center. She is also Associate Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
Jennifer L. Martin, Ph.D., FAASM
Photo of Candy Wilson, PhD, APRN, WHNP-BC
Candy Wilson, Ph.D., APRN, WHNP-BC
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Assistant Professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Colonel in the U.S. Air Force, 26 years of active duty service. Throughout her nursing and military career, she has provided patient care to women as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner.
Candy Wilson, Ph.D., APRN, WHNP-BC
Collaborators
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
  • National Institute on Aging (NIA)
  • National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
  • National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
  • National Cancer Institute (NCI)
  • National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
  • National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
  • Office of Research On Women's Health (ORWH)
  • HHS Office on Women’s Health (OWH)