Saxena Lab

The Biology of Sleep with Dr. Richa Saxena

Originally appeared in Charged: Stories from the Women Leading Health Care, January 22, 2020.

Sleep, Rhythms and Disease Research Area

Most of us know from experience that a good night’s sleep can make all the difference in our health and well being. Tips and props to improve sleep have been promoted more and more in recent years. Despite all the attention that sleep gets these days, the biology of sleep and its function is still not well understood. Sleep researcher Dr. Richa Saxena is working to change that by studying all of the genetic information that makes up a person. Her team has identified dozens of genes related to sleep and their connections to other health problems like cancer, psychiatric disorders and diabetes. Dr. Saxena discusses her research and how she hopes it will change our relationship with sleep.