Research and Innovation
At SLEEP 2026, Miller School Scientists Showcase Sleep Research Driving Better Health Outcomes
By: Chad Hanson | July 10, 2026 | 10 min. read |
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine investigators presented 32 studies at SLEEP 2026, exploring how sleep affects brain health, cardiovascular disease, cancer care, mental health, environmental exposures and health care access while advancing new approaches to prevention and precision medicine
Researchers from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine took center stage at SLEEP 2026, the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS). Miller School faculty presented a wide-ranging body of research that reinforced the growing importance of sleep as a driver of health, disease prevention and health equity
Led by Girardin Jean-Louis, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and neurology and director of the Center for Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences, and Azizi Seixas, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, co-director of the Center for Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences and interim chair of the Department of Informatics and Health Data Science, the Miller School team showcased 32 scientific presentations spanning brain health, cardiometabolic disease, mental health, environmental exposures and sleep disparities.
The conference portfolio highlighted a Miller School sleep research central theme. Sleep is more than nighttime behavior. It is a measurable biological pathway through which social conditions, environmental factors, inflammation, metabolic health and cognitive function intersect, creating opportunities for earlier intervention and more effective disease prevention
“This research demonstrates that sleep sits at the crossroads of many of the nation’s most pressing health challenges,” said Dr. Jean-Louis. “By understanding how sleep is shaped by both biology and lived experience, we can develop interventions that improve health outcomes across communities.”
The Miller School’s strong presence at the international meeting underscored the institution’s prominence in sleep and circadian science. Faculty researchers included:
• Judite Blanc, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciencesat the Miller School
• Debbie Chung, Ph.D., a research assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Miller School
• Denise Vidot, Ph.D., an associate professor in the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies and of public health sciences at the Miller School
• Alberto Ramos, M.D., a professor of neurology at the Miller School
Several investigations focused on sleep health among Black adults, a population historically underrepresented in sleep and circadian research. Researchers examined how sleep duration, sleep quality, sleep architecture and sleep-related impairment interact with lipid profiles, insulin resistance, inflammation, mental health and cognitive function. Together, the studies advanced a deeper understanding of the biological mechanisms through which health gaps emerge and persist.
“We must understand the biological and social mechanisms driving differences in sleep data, so we can design solutions that are both effective and culturally responsive,” said Dr. Jean-Louis
“Sleep science is entering a new era in which data, biology, environment and lived experience must be integrated rather than studied in isolation,” said Dr. Seixas. “The work presented at APSS reflects our commitment to using advanced analytics, community-engaged methods and precision health approaches to identify who is most at risk, why those risks emerge and how we can intervene earlier.”
“Digital tools are changing how we assess brain health because they allow us to capture cognitive function in ways that are more scalable, accessible and responsive to real-world behavior,” said Dr. Chung. “By integrating digital cognitive assessment with sleep and circadian measures, we can better understand how sleep disruption may signal or accelerate dementia-related risk, and how earlier detection can open a window for prevention.”
Miller School-affiliated studies extended this translational focus into cancer care, Hispanic/Latino sleep aging and cardiovascular risk. Dr. Ramos and collaborators reported that Zoom-based sleep programs for adults with cancer and their caregivers were feasible and well received, with nearly 88% of enrolled patient-caregiver pairs completing the intervention with high satisfaction scores
In the SANAR study, Miller School investigators found that sleep apnea burden increased over time among older Hispanic/Latino adults, while age, body weight, hypertension and diabetes predict persistent sleep apnea and abnormal sleep duration. A related study found that blood pressure surges and non-dipping of blood pressure during sleep may reveal early cardiovascular stress beyond standard measures of sleep apnea severity.
The broad scope of presentations also reflected the Miller School’s growing expertise in studying how environmental and social conditions affect sleep. Researchers examined the effects of solar exposure, weather patterns, neighborhood characteristics, psychosocial stress, employment status and the experiences of Black women navigating stress and sleep. These studies emphasized that environmental influences are not merely background factors but can play a direct role in shaping sleep biology and health outcomes.
The intersection of political anxiety and public health was highlighted in preliminary qualitative findings from an National Institutes of Health-fund study by Dr. Blanc. Participants described the specific hours they sleep and identified factors contributing to their sleep health that are a source of anxiety, such as insomnia, sleep apnea, COVID-19 stress, mental health concerns, caregiver burden, workplace pressure and the current political climate. Findings underscore that sleep is not isolated from lived experience. Participants also described the strategies and support systems they use to manage sleep disruption, ranging from social support and personal routines to less optimal coping strategies, including using phones to fall asleep.
A forward-looking area of inquiry, in collaboration with the Global Cannabis and Psychedelics Research Collaboratory, focused on the rapidly evolving intersection of cannabis, psychedelics, and sleep health. Led by Dr. Vidot, research teams investigated psychedelic use, cannabis use, sleep-related motivations for consumption, insomnia severity and inflammation among young and middle-aged adults in South Florida and Jamaica. By combining community-based recruitment, rigorous sleep science, biological markers and real-world patterns of use, the studies move toward characterizing how, for whom and under what conditions cannabis and psychedelics might influence sleep, inflammation and cardiometabolic risk.
As public attitudes and policies evolve, the findings highlight the importance of applying rigorous sleep science to understand both potential risks and health implications
“This is where community-based translational science becomes essential,” said Dr. Vidot. “Cannabis and psychedelics are no longer theoretical exposures. They are part of the real-world health decisions people are making every day to manage sleep, stress, pain and chronic disease. Our responsibility is to meet communities where they are, measure these patterns rigorously and translate the evidence into prevention, clinical guidance and harm-reduction strategies that are scientifically sound and culturally responsive.”
Collectively, the presentations revealed a translational framework that has become central to the Center for Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences research enterprise. Researchers measure sleep precisely, identify the factors that disrupt it, understand the resulting biological consequences and develop interventions before disease becomes entrenched
“The future of prevention may begin with improving sleep,” said Dr. Jean-Louis. “Our goal is to transform sleep science into practical strategies that strengthen resilience, reduce disease risk and improve quality of life.”
