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Dr Steven A Shea

Dr Steven A Shea

Editor-in-Chief: Steven A. Shea, PHD

Steven A. Shea, Ph.D., is the Director of the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University,  and Professor, OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, Oregon, USA.

Professor Shea has been researching into the ‘nature and science of sleep’ since he set up one of the first clinical sleep laboratories in the UK, at Charing Cross Hospital in London in 1982. He obtained his Ph.D. for research on breathing during sleep from the University of London (UK). He was awarded a Harkness Fellowship for post-doctoral study at Harvard School Public Health, USA. At Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts, USA, Professor Shea has served as the Founding Director of the Medical Chronobiology Program; the Director of the Sleep Disorders Research Program; the Acting Director of the Division of Sleep Medicine; and the Associate Director of the Training Program in Sleep, Circadian and Respiratory Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School. Professor Shea has also served on a number of sleep related committees: as an elected member of the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine serving ~8,500 sleep professional members (elected 2008-2010; re-elected 2010-2014); the Board of Directors of the American Board of Sleep Medicine; and the Board of Directors of the American Sleep Medicine Foundation (providing strategic sleep research and educational awards, career grants to physician scientists, and humanitarian grants aimed at improving sleep health for all), and served as elected President of the American Sleep Medicine Foundation from 2010-2013. Professor Shea has also served on the Research Committee of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (Chair), the Program Committee of the Association of Professional Sleep Societies; and the Circadian Section of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (Chair).

Professor Shea's research focus is to understand the circadian and sleep/wake mechanisms underlying the robust day/night pattern in the severity of a number of disorders, including nocturnal asthma and cardiovascular disease. In addition, he is investigating the adverse health effects of shift work. His goal is to improve therapy in such disorders via modifications in behavior or chronopharmacology. Professor Shea's research has been supported by US federal grants since 1992, and he has authored over 100 original reports and reviews or chapters in the fields of sleep, circadian rhythms, and cardiopulmonary physiology.