Â鶹ӰԺ

Administrative Research Center (ARC), Room A29
3100 Marine Street
Â鶹ӰԺ, CO 80309-0554
phone: 303-735-1923

Lab Director

• Kenneth P. Wright Jr., Ph.D.

Research Interests

• Health and safety consequences of sleep and circadian disruption
• Influence of sleep and circadian rhythms on human physiology (cardiometabolic and immune function) and behavior (sleepiness and cognition) with application to public health and safety
• Development of circadian and sleep biomarkers
• Strategies to promote sleep and circadian health, to enhance alertness and maintain health and safety when sleep and circadian rhythms are challenged

Current Research Projects

• Impact of sleep and circadian disruption on the human microbiome and related changes in human physiology and cognition
• Biomarkers for insufficient sleep and circadian rhythms and circadian disruption (metabolomics and proteomics)
• Effects of light exposure on circadian rhythms, sleep, and health
• Countermeasures to improve sleep and wakefulness
• Mechanisms of Delayed Sleep Wake Phase Disorder

Persons interested in volunteering to participate in one of these studies should visit the sleep study participant page.

Personnel

• Postdoctoral Fellows: Luisa P. Marot, PhD, Dana Withrow, PhD
• Graduate Students: Natalie Macheret, BS, Maeve N. Sheehy, BS,Ìý
• Professional Research Assistants: Caroline Greene, BA, Andrea Munguia, BA, Kate Timothy, BA
• Post-Baccalaureate Students: Adelaide Mullen, BA, Jordan Copeland, BA
• Undergraduate Students:ÌýPaul Bamlaku, Lauren Birgenheier, Lauren Brady, Rachel Christenson, Graham Collins, Jacob Culig, Jon De Leon, Shalin Gala, James Green, Caroline Greene, Lidiya Haile, Bella Hansen, Hadi Hasnain, Grayson Hines, Damon Jakubsen, Isis Jenkins-Callendar, Payton Keeler, Devashish Khanal, Dennis Kondratenko, Sky Lam, Isabelle Lattimer, Sammie Lenski, Emily Leonard, Taylor Lozowick, Anyoh Mancho, Arina Pavlenko, Gavin Reed, Bode Rehm, Anja Rohan, Jalen Sborov, Anastacia Trubetskaya, Kyra Warneke, Eugenie Worley, Morgan Yoshimoto

Current Member BiographiesÌý

Lab Alumni Biographies

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Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Sleep and Chronobiology Lab 2024

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Lab Community Statement

Professor Wright and members of the Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory are committed to fostering a lab community that is representative, fair so that every person has appropriate opportunities, and an environment where every person is expected to succeed.ÌýWe value unique viewpoints and believe that science is improved by the integration of many perspectives. Team members work closely together to conduct rigorous research activities at the cutting edge of sleep and circadian science in a professional, collaborative, respectful, safe, open,Ìýand supportive environment/community. We seek participation from all groups in our research team.

Colorado Sleep and Circadian Research Symposium

The Colorado Sleep and Circadian Research Symposium brings together speakers from diverse areas of circadian and sleep research for a one-day meeting each yearÌýon the Â鶹ӰԺ campus.

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T32 Training Grant for Graduate Students and Postdocs

This NIH supported training program aims to recruit, select and retain outstanding trainees, promote excellence, provide high quality training, educational, and career development experiences to prepare trainees for research-intensive and research-related careers; shape tomorrow’s scientific leaders, foster rigorous and collaborative sleep and circadian science, ensure successful progress of trainees toward predetermined milestones defined in Individual Development Plans; and expand the number of investigators conducting transdisciplinary sleep and circadian science.

For more informationÌývisitÌýT32 Training GrantÌýor email kenneth.wright@colorado.edu.

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R25 Multi-Institutional Summer Research Training Grant forÌýUndergraduate Students

This NIH supported multi-institutional training program aims to provideÌýsummer research, educational, and professional development experiences to prepare undergraduate students for advanced academic training in PhD and MD/PhD programs,Ìýfoster their pursuit of sleep and circadian science careers.

For more informationÌývisit R25 Multi-Institutional Training Grant or email kenneth.wright@colorado.edu.

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Annual University of Colorado Sleep and Circadian Summer School

The Annual Colorado Sleep and Circadian Summer School will be hybrid.Ìý Approximately 50 trainees will be selected to attend the summer school in person and have access to the full program. Some educational offerings will also be made available virtual.Ìý For more information and application materials please see: Summer School Webpage

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Opportunities for Undergraduate Students

• The requirements for undergraduate students who want a research experience in our Laboratory are:
  • A strong desire to obtain research experiences prior to graduate school, medical school, or advanced study in a health-related field
  • Minimum commitment: One year
  • Minimum hours/week when testing subjects: 8-10 hours (includes journal club)
  • Minimum experience: No prior experience required
  • Must be willing to work with a team
  • Must be able to work various hours during the day, at night, and on weekends.
• UROP, independent study, honors thesis, and concurrent BA-MS opportunities are available.
• For more information, contactÌýsleep@colorado.edu

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Opportunities for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Fellows

• Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow training is available contingent upon research funding.
• For more information, contact Kenneth.Wright@colorado.edu

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Recent Publications

• Davidson JA, Creasy SA, Meneses E, Brinton JT, Bernard A, Bowen AE, Hawkins SMM, Cree MG, Nadeau KJ, Melanson EL, Wright KP Jr, Simon SL. The effect of an experimental sleep extension manipulation on timing and duration of sedentary behavior and physical activity in habitually short-sleeping and inactive adolescents: Results from a randomized crossover trial. Sleep Health. 2026 Mar 24:S2352-7218(26)00017-3. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2026.02.006.
• Olson M, Withrow D, Koelbel M, Southworth G, Phan A, Wright KP Jr, Whisner CM, Petrov ME. What is the nature of sleep and circadian rhythm health on gastrointestinal microbiota? A systematic review of studies in humans. Sleep Med Rev. 2026 Apr;86:102256. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2026.102256. Epub 2026 Feb 17.
• Stegman AP, Kubicki M, Mallender Z, Zimmerman GA, Sundar KM, Baron KG, Reisdorph NP, Wright Jr., KP Depner CM. ÌýFrom yawn to dawn: the effects of a sleep extension intervention on objective and subjective dimensions of sleep health in adults with habitual short sleep duration Sleep Adv. 2026 Jan 9;7(1):zpag003. doi: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpag003. eCollection 2026.
• Beals JW, Smith GI, Farabi SS, Patterson BW, Lucey BP, Broussard JL, Wright Jr KP, Klein S. Sleep extension improves sleep health but not insulin sensitivity in people with overweight/obesity who maintain habitual short sleep schedules. Diabetes Care. 2026 May 1;49(5):740-745. doi: 10.2337/dc25-2083.
• Hartstein LE, Akacem LD, Wright KP Jr, LeBourgeois MK. The Relationship Between Circadian Phase and Sleep Timing in Preschool-Aged Children. J Biol Rhythms. 2026 Feb;41(1):139-145. doi: 10.1177/07487304251377616. Epub 2025 Oct 17
• Rosenberg R, Breit MJ, Clark KC, Broussard JL, Catenacci VA, Depner CM, Simon SL, Wright KP Jr, Zuraikat FM, Creasy SA. Examining the Role of Sleep in Body Weight Regulation and Implications for Obesity Treatment: A Narrative Review. Obes Rev. 2026 Feb;27(2):e70017. doi: 10.1111/obr.70017. Epub 2025 Sep 8.
• Simon SL, Cooper E, Bernard A, Bowen AE, Holtman S, Brinton JT, Hawkins SMM, Cree MG, Nadeau KJ, Wright KP Jr. Evening Chronotype Is Associated With Daytime Impairment and Differential Sleep and Circadian Response to a Sleep Extension Manipulation in Short Sleeping Adolescents. J Sleep Res. 2026 Feb;35(1):e70062. doi: 10.1111/jsr.70062. Epub 2025 Jun 3
• Dashti HS, Jansen EC, Zuraikat FM, Dixit S, Brown M, Laposky A, Broussard JL, Butler MP, Creasy SA, Crispim CA, Depner CM, Esser KA, Garaulet M, Hanlon EC, Makarem N, Manoogian ENC, Peterson CM, Scheer FAJL, Wright KP Jr, Goff DC Jr, Pratt CA, Gamble KL, St-Onge MP. Advancing Chrononutrition for Cardiometabolic Health: A 2023 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Workshop Report. J Am Heart Assoc. 2025 May 6;14(9):e039373. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.124.039373.
• Duston A, Holtman S, Bowen AE, Cree MG, Nadeau K, Wright KP Jr, Simon SL, Diniz Behn CG. Sex Differences in Circadian Timing and Biological Night in Adolescents. J Biol Rhythms. 2025 Feb;40(1):7-18. doi: 10.1177/07487304241309165
• Panchal Z, Sakai JT, Ellingson JM, Zellers S, Wright KP Jr, McGue MK, Vrieze S, Hewitt JK, Corley RP, Iacono W, Hopfer CJ, Ross JM. Association of Recreational Cannabis Legalization with Frequency of Using Cannabis for Sleep. J Psychoactive Drugs. 2025 Mar 27:1-10. doi: 10.1080/02791072.2025.2484379.
• Reis C, Pilz LK, Paiva T, Hidalgo MP, Wright KP Jr. Sleep and circadian rhythms in delayed sleep-wake phase disorder: Phenotypic differences between patients with and without comorbid depression. J Sleep Res. 2025 Jan 15:e14437. doi: 10.1111/jsr.14437.
• Hartstein LE, Wright KP Jr, Diniz Behn C, Stowe SR, LeBourgeois MK. The Circadian Response to Evening Light Spectra in Early Childhood: Preliminary Insights. J Biol Rhythms. 2025 Jan 8:7487304241311652. doi: 10.1177/07487304241311652.
• Holtman S, Cooper E, Brinton JT, Bowen AE, Hawkins S, Cree MG, Nadeau KJ, Wright KP Jr, Simon SL. Changes in Circadian Timing Following a One-Week In-Home Sleep Extension Manipulation in Habitually Short-Sleeping Adolescents. Sleep. 2025 Feb 10;48(2):zsae273. doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsae273.

FundingÌý

• 2023-2028,ÌýÌýNIH R01 HL159647 NIH/NHLBI Pathophysiology of Circadian Rhythm Delayed Sleep Wake Phase Disorder (Wright MPI/Zee MPI)
• 2023-2028Ìý NIHÌýR25 NS 125603, NIH/NINDSÌý Multi-Institutional Summer Undergraduate Research Program to Promote Sleep and Circadian Research CareersÌý(PI/PD :Wright)
• 2022-2027, NIH R01ÌýHL165343, NIH/NHLBI Biomarkers for Peripheral Circadian Clocks in Humans (PI: Wright)
• 2020-2030 T32 HL149646 NIH/NHLBIÌýTransdisciplinary Training in Sleep and Circadian Rhythms (PI/PD :Wright)Ìý