Currently Funded Research
August 2022 - July 2026
American Academy of Sleep Medicine Foundation - Strategic Research Award
An App-Based, Precision Medicine Approach to Optimize Long-Term CPAP Adherence and Quality of Life
This study is developing a precision medicine optimized smartphone application called SleepWell24 to promote early CPAP adoption, long-term CPAP maintenance, and improvements in quality of life through CPAP adherence and increases in sleep quality and physical activity.
Total Costs: $249,983
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
February 2020 - January 2025
NIH/NHLBI R01HL147931
Investigating the Influence of Sleep-Wake Patterns and the Gut Microbiome Development in Infancy on Rapid Weight Gain, an Early Risk Factor for Obesity
This study will examine how two understudied factors, sleep-wake patterns and the gut microbiome, affect rapid weight gain in infancy, an early risk factor for obesity. The development of sleep-wake patterns and gut microbe communities will be evaluated, in the context of diverse feeding, maternal, and environmental influences, on infant weight gain.
Total Costs: $3,571,554
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
To learn more about the study, please view the Snuggle Bug / Acurrucadito Study website: https://asusnugglebugstudy.weebly.com/
American Academy of Sleep Medicine Foundation - Strategic Research Award
An App-Based, Precision Medicine Approach to Optimize Long-Term CPAP Adherence and Quality of Life
This study is developing a precision medicine optimized smartphone application called SleepWell24 to promote early CPAP adoption, long-term CPAP maintenance, and improvements in quality of life through CPAP adherence and increases in sleep quality and physical activity.
Total Costs: $249,983
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
February 2020 - January 2025
NIH/NHLBI R01HL147931
Investigating the Influence of Sleep-Wake Patterns and the Gut Microbiome Development in Infancy on Rapid Weight Gain, an Early Risk Factor for Obesity
This study will examine how two understudied factors, sleep-wake patterns and the gut microbiome, affect rapid weight gain in infancy, an early risk factor for obesity. The development of sleep-wake patterns and gut microbe communities will be evaluated, in the context of diverse feeding, maternal, and environmental influences, on infant weight gain.
Total Costs: $3,571,554
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
To learn more about the study, please view the Snuggle Bug / Acurrucadito Study website: https://asusnugglebugstudy.weebly.com/
Completed Research
January 2020 - June 2021
Mayo Clinic and ASU Alliance for Health Care: Collaborative Research Seed Grant
Adapting a Smartphone-Delivered Self-Management Program and Behavioral Intervention for Positive Airway Pressure Therapy Initiation and Maintenance to Enhance Patient-Reported Outcomes and Patient-Provider Communication among Stroke Survivors with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
This pilot study will test the expanded SleepWell24 application, adapted according to the specific needs of OSA stroke patients, as well as further assessment of common symptoms among these patients such as fatigue, depression, cognition and physical function. The ultimate goal of this expansion is to increase their CPAP therapy adherence.
$50,000
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
September 2018 - March 2021
American Academy of Sleep Medicine Foundation-Focused Projects Award
Markers of Early Atherosclerotic Progression in Insomnia
The aim of this study is to contrast markers of cardiovascular structure and function indicative of subclinical CVD between young adults with insomnia and good-sleeping controls.
$20,000
Role: Principal Investigator
August 2016 - July 2018
NIH/NINR R21 NR016046
SleepWell24: An Innovative Smartphone Application to Improve PAP Adherence
The aim of the study is to develop and test SleepWell24, a smartphone application, designed to provide real-time feedback to patients with obstructive sleep apnea on their adherence to positive airway pressure interventions.
$164,790
Role: Principal Investigator
January 2016-January 2018
American Sleep Medicine Foundation – Focused Projects Award
Sleep-Related Determinants of Stroke: A Case-Sibling Study
The aim of the study is to compare sleep-inhibiting behaviors, sleep duration and disruption in adult inpatients with minor stroke/transient ischemic attack vs. adults without minor stroke/transient ischemic attack.
$18,519
Role: Principal Investigator
April 2015 - March 2019
Department of Veterans Affairs‒Merit Award
Influence of Exercise, Weight Loss, and Exercise + Weight Loss on Sleep Apnea
The aims of this study are to examine the effects of exercise, weight loss, and exercise combined with weight loss on obstructive sleep apnea and associated morbidity in veterans.
$1,088,752
Role: Co-Investigator (Shawn Youngstedt-Principal Investigator)
September 2015 - April 2017
NIH/NIA R37 AG033906-12S2
Ethnic Differences in Responses to Painful Stimuli
The project proposes to elucidate the mechanisms underlying ethnic group differences in knee OA-related pain by directly and prospectively assessing the progression and predictors of clinical pain and disability as well as pain-related central nervous system (CNS) structure and function among middle-aged and older AAs and NHWs with and without knee OA.
$80,084
Role: Consultant (R. Fillingim-Principal Investigator)
July 2011 - June 2016
NIH/NHLBI R01 HL095799
Influence of Chronic Moderate Sleep Restriction in Older Long and Average Duration Sleepers
The goals of this study are to examine the effects of 12 weeks of moderate (1 hour) time in bed restriction on multiple outcomes (e.g, inflammation, mood, glucose tolerance, sleepiness, cognitive function) in older long sleepers and older average duration sleepers.
Role: Co-Investigator (Shawn Youngstedt-Principal Investigator)
July 2013 - June 2014
Arthritis Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship
Ethnic Differences in Osteoarthritis Pain and Sleep
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between sleep and endogenous pain modulation among African American and non-Hispanic White middle-aged to older adults with knee osteoarthritis.
$100,000
Role: Principal Investigator
Mayo Clinic and ASU Alliance for Health Care: Collaborative Research Seed Grant
Adapting a Smartphone-Delivered Self-Management Program and Behavioral Intervention for Positive Airway Pressure Therapy Initiation and Maintenance to Enhance Patient-Reported Outcomes and Patient-Provider Communication among Stroke Survivors with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
This pilot study will test the expanded SleepWell24 application, adapted according to the specific needs of OSA stroke patients, as well as further assessment of common symptoms among these patients such as fatigue, depression, cognition and physical function. The ultimate goal of this expansion is to increase their CPAP therapy adherence.
$50,000
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
September 2018 - March 2021
American Academy of Sleep Medicine Foundation-Focused Projects Award
Markers of Early Atherosclerotic Progression in Insomnia
The aim of this study is to contrast markers of cardiovascular structure and function indicative of subclinical CVD between young adults with insomnia and good-sleeping controls.
$20,000
Role: Principal Investigator
August 2016 - July 2018
NIH/NINR R21 NR016046
SleepWell24: An Innovative Smartphone Application to Improve PAP Adherence
The aim of the study is to develop and test SleepWell24, a smartphone application, designed to provide real-time feedback to patients with obstructive sleep apnea on their adherence to positive airway pressure interventions.
$164,790
Role: Principal Investigator
January 2016-January 2018
American Sleep Medicine Foundation – Focused Projects Award
Sleep-Related Determinants of Stroke: A Case-Sibling Study
The aim of the study is to compare sleep-inhibiting behaviors, sleep duration and disruption in adult inpatients with minor stroke/transient ischemic attack vs. adults without minor stroke/transient ischemic attack.
$18,519
Role: Principal Investigator
April 2015 - March 2019
Department of Veterans Affairs‒Merit Award
Influence of Exercise, Weight Loss, and Exercise + Weight Loss on Sleep Apnea
The aims of this study are to examine the effects of exercise, weight loss, and exercise combined with weight loss on obstructive sleep apnea and associated morbidity in veterans.
$1,088,752
Role: Co-Investigator (Shawn Youngstedt-Principal Investigator)
September 2015 - April 2017
NIH/NIA R37 AG033906-12S2
Ethnic Differences in Responses to Painful Stimuli
The project proposes to elucidate the mechanisms underlying ethnic group differences in knee OA-related pain by directly and prospectively assessing the progression and predictors of clinical pain and disability as well as pain-related central nervous system (CNS) structure and function among middle-aged and older AAs and NHWs with and without knee OA.
$80,084
Role: Consultant (R. Fillingim-Principal Investigator)
July 2011 - June 2016
NIH/NHLBI R01 HL095799
Influence of Chronic Moderate Sleep Restriction in Older Long and Average Duration Sleepers
The goals of this study are to examine the effects of 12 weeks of moderate (1 hour) time in bed restriction on multiple outcomes (e.g, inflammation, mood, glucose tolerance, sleepiness, cognitive function) in older long sleepers and older average duration sleepers.
Role: Co-Investigator (Shawn Youngstedt-Principal Investigator)
July 2013 - June 2014
Arthritis Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship
Ethnic Differences in Osteoarthritis Pain and Sleep
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between sleep and endogenous pain modulation among African American and non-Hispanic White middle-aged to older adults with knee osteoarthritis.
$100,000
Role: Principal Investigator