For the project “Retinal mechanisms underlying caffeine effects on the human circadian system”, Dr. Carolin Reichert has been awarded the Borbély-Hess Fellowship by the Swiss Society for Sleep Research, Sleep Medicine and Chronobiology (SSSSC). Together with Dr. Manuel Spitschan (University of Oxford), Carolin will investigate if caffeine changes the sensitivity to light of specific circadian photoreceptors and if it changes pupil size and thereby retinal illumination. This study advances our mechanistic understanding of how light affects human physiology and behaviour and how these effects are modified pharmacologically by caffeine intake.

In August 2021, Dr. Christine Blume has been awarded a prestigious Ambizione fellowship from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF; approx. CHF 930'000). From April 2022 on, she will be studying the effects of (natural) daylight and physical exercising (i.e., hiking) on circadian rhythms and sleep in a four-year project. The project also includes a position for a PhD candidate, which will be advertised in autumn 2021.

Photo: Universität Basel, Christian Flierl.

The current edition of the Sleep Medicine Textbook of the European Sleep Research Society ESRS can be ordered now. The authors of the chronobiology chapter are Prof. Christian Cajochen and Corrado Garbazza, MD.

This year, for the first time, a scholarship from the Prof. Dr. Max Cloëtta Foundation will go to a candidate from the UPK Basel. Corrado Garbazza, MD, research physician at the Center for Chronobiology at the UPK, will benefit from this valuable support. He will spend twelve months at the Harvard Medical School (HMS) in Boston from the end of next year. The program includes research work in various university hospitals of the HMS. After his stay in the USA, Dr. Corrado Garbazza intends to implement the expertise in sleep and circadian medicine gained during his stay at the UPK.

For the work on sleep and sleep-wake patterns during the COVID-19 'lockdown', Christine Blume has been awarded the early-career sleep science award by the German Sleep Society (DGSM). The award, which includes a prize money of EUR 6500, will be awarded during the digital 28th Yearly Congress of the DGSM taking place between 29 and 31 October 2020.

This year's SWISS OphthAWARD went to Dr. Sarah Chellappa for her publication in JAMA Ophthalmology on the effects of cataract-related lens replacement (artificial lenses) on sleep, circadian rhythm and cognitive functions in older subjects. The contribution was awarded the highest mark in the category "Highest clinical relevance" with prize money of CHF 10,000.

A survey conducted at the University of Basel and the Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Basel has investigated how sleep has changed during the Covid-19 lockdown. The 435 individuals surveyed – most of whom were women – reported sleeping longer while sleep quality deteriorated. The results of the study were published in the scientific journal Current Biology. For more information see the press release of the University of Basel.

Are you one of the many, who are currently experiencing 'weird dreams'? In her latest blog post, our lab member Christine Blume gives three scientific exlanations for this phenomenon.

Complete Blog post by Christine Blume

In order to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, the University of Basel has reduced its research and operations to a bare minimum. But despite these challenging circumstances, numerous new projects have emerged, including a survey on the subject of “COVID-19 & Sleep.”

Dr. Christine Blume about the interests and objectives of her current study.

Voici les conseils

La pandemia di COVID-19 sta rappresentando una grande sfida per ognuno di noi. Varie misure come quarantena, auto-isolamento e soprattutto il cosiddetto “distacco sociale” stanno determinando la nostra quotidianità. Queste misure sono necessarie per limitare l’espansione del virus e per proteggere i nostri sistemi sanitari da un’eccessiva pressione, ma possono anche influire negativamente su fattori che normalmente promuovono e stabilizzano la nostra salute mentale.

Link to the tips