Mentoring Patient-Oriented Research: Sleep & Health During & After Hospital Stay

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Project Summary As an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago Sleep Metabolism and Health Center and an academic hospitalist, I have established a research program in patient- oriented research (POR) to develop and test interventions that aim to improve care for hospitalized adults with sleep and respiratory disorders. I lead two important research training programs at the University of Chicago (Assistant Director, Hospitalist Scholars Training Program and co-Director, NIH-funded Pritzker Medical School Summer Research Program). As such, I am committed to continuing to mentor pre-doctoral students, post- doctoral students, and early-stage investigators in these areas. There are several institutional resources, such as the University of Chicago Institute of Translational Medicine (CTSA), the Sleep Metabolism and Health Center, and the Center for Health and the Social Sciences (CHeSS) and its' associated clinical research training programs, as well as the strong departmental and divisional support and commitment to the mission of training junior investigators. These resources will ensure the successful development of a mentoring program in POR to understanding and improving the health of hospitalized patients through addressing sleep disorders and improving sleep for acutely ill hospitalized medical patients as they transition home. My career goals in POR are: 1) to acquire new training relevant to my current projects including long-term follow up in clinical studies, 2) to continue to support my research infrastructure and studies via NIH funding, 3) to continue my collaborations with other investigators in the area of sleep which is essential for both my work and that of my trainees. My career goals in mentoring are: 1) to acquire formal mentoring training through the NIH CTSA and National Mentoring Network, 2) to expand training from experienced mentors, 3) to assist my current trainees in obtaining K funding, and 5) to take on new trainees at the fellowship, residency, and student levels. The overall aim of the two research projects in this proposal are to test whether interventions improving sleep health and hygiene can improve health outcomes of hospitalized patients after discharge. Building on existing NIH-funded infrastructure that supports my research program, the specific research aims are: (1) to understand the long-term consequences of sleep deprivation in the hospital; and (2) to test whether educating and empowering patients about sleep loss in the hospital is associated with improved sleep and health after discharge. This project will provide an ideal training environment for mentoring junior investigators in a novel field of POR. We will utilize the clinical, translational, and scientific resources of the University of Chicago Sleep Metabolism and Health Center. This award will allow sufficient time to increase my mentoring expertise, to enhance my research skills, and to help me guide trainees in POR studies by ensuring adequate effort for mentoring and for assisting trainees in career development and obtaining independent funding.