As a clinical neurogeneticist, one of the most common challenges I discuss with families is difficulty with sleep. Poor sleep early in life can have lifelong impact, and children with neurodevelopmental disorders are much more likely to not sleep well. Unfortunately, while these associations are well known, we have a limited understanding of the mechanisms driving interactions between neurodevelopmental disorders and sleep dysfunction.

Our group seeks to understand interactions between neurodevelopmental disorders, sleep, and circadian rhythms. We are particularly interested in learning how epilepsy – one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders – is regulated by sleep and circadian rhythms. To do this, we leverage the tractability of fruit flies. By uncovering underlying mechanisms, we hope to identify new therapeutic targets to improve seizure control and gain insight into the biology of sleep.

In parallel, we are trying to understand what causes sleep dysfunction in people. We are involved in efforts to perform genetic sequencing of people with severe sleep or circadian symptoms. Our hope is to translate an understanding of underlying genetic etiologies into novel therapies that improve sleep quality.