Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Shantha is Professor of Sleep and Circadian Medicine, Head of the School of Psychological Sciences. He is Chair of the Sleep Health Foundation, and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. He is Chair of the Monash Sleep Network.
His primary research interest is in the field of sleep and circadian rhythms, and its application to occupational and clinical settings.
Sleep is increasingly recognised as the third pillar of good health, along side diet and exercise. Poor sleep quality and sleep deficiency are linked to a number of serious health problems, including depression and cardiovascular disease, as well as impaired alertness and neurocognitive functioning, reduced productivity and increased accident risk.
Shantha's research program aims to investigate the role of the internal biological clock in the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle, and how disruption of the clock leads to sleep disorders and other physiological consequences (for example, in shift workers). His group is developing novel treatment approaches for sleep disorders that are caused by biological clock disruption. These include light and melatonin treatments. The group is also investigating the contribution of sleep disturbances and fatigue to mood disorders and impaired cognition in clinical populations.
Sleep loss and impaired alertness adversely affect occupational safety, health and productivity, and also road safety. About 20 percent of serious car crash injuries are associated with driver sleepiness. Shantha's research is examining innovative technologies to monitor alertness in occupational and transportations settings, and is developing and testing intervention strategies aimed at reducing the burden associated with impaired alertness in these contexts.
Sleep and ciradian health offer an opportunity to implement a preventive health approach that is grounded in neuroscience and strongly evidence based. This is based on the extensive evidenced that poor sleep and circadian health lead to other major adverse health and wellbeing outcomes, and interventions to improve sleep and circadian health are known to lead to improvements in overall health and wellbeing.
Community service
2020-present Iterim Research Director and bid coordinator, Well and Productive CRC
2020-present Chair, Sleep Health Foundation
2020-present Chair, Working Group for the International Association of Circadian Health Clinics
2016-2020 Board Member, Sleep Health Foundation
2013-2020 Program Leader, Alertness CRC
2011-2014 President, Australasian Sleep Association
2007-present Chair, Monash Sleep Network
Research interests
- The role of sleep and circadian health on workplace health, productivity and safety
- Development and evaluation of interventions for sleep and circadian disruption in occupational and clinical settings
- Role of the circadian clock in regulating mood and cognitive function
- Effects of light, melatonin and melatonin agonists on sleep and circadian rhythms
- Legal issues relating to sleep loss and sleepiness
Monash teaching commitment
2011-2014 Director of Undergraduate Programs, School of Psychology and Psychiatry
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Law, LLB(Hons), MONASH UNIVERSITY
Award Date: 29 Mar 2000
Chronobiology, PhD, AN EXAMINATION OF THE CIRCADIAN SYSTEM OF THE DIURNAL INDIAN PALM SQUIRREL, FUNAMBULUS PENNANTI, MONASH UNIVERSITY
Award Date: 11 Mar 1998
Psychology, BSc(Hons), MONASH UNIVERSITY
Award Date: 20 Apr 1994
External positions
Associate Neuroscientist, Brigham and Women's Hospital Inc
1 Jul 2004 → …
Lecturer in Medicine (academic, part-time), Harvard Medical School
1 Jul 2004 → …
Research area keywords
- Circadian rhythms
- Workplace mental health
- Light
- Melatonin
- Shift work
- Sleep
- Sleep Loss
- Sleep disorders
- Sleepiness-related crashes
- Fatigue
- Mood Disorders
- Depression
- Cognitive Function
- Occupational Health and Safety
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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The impact of circadian and sleep factors on neurodevelopment
Cropley, V. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Bei, B. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Zalesky, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Wilson Rajaratnam, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Stone, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Ella Tian, Y. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Allen, N. B. (Partner Investigator (PI))
18/04/24 → 17/04/29
Project: Research
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An international task force to create adaptive bio-psycho-social and environmental models of sleep, circadian rhythms, and youth depression and anxiety across five continents
Bei, B. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Sletten, T. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Wilson Rajaratnam, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Raniti, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Olivier, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Wiley, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Drummond, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Jobson, L. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Keng, S.-L. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Pretorius, T. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Padmanabhanunni, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Lekaota, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Foster, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Allen, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Czeisler, C. A. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Klerman, E. (Chief Investigator (CI))
10/04/24 → 9/04/29
Project: Research
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Reaching out: A new pipeline for Australian mental health workforce training and development.
Haines, T. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Maloney, S. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Morphet, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Najm, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Harvey, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Bullock, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Lawrence, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Wilson Rajaratnam, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Shlonsky, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Fossey, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Kent, F. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Brown, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Petrakis, M. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Bevilacqua, M. (Associate Investigator (AI)) & Gullifer, J. (Associate Investigator (AI))
12/06/23 → 31/03/26
Project: Research
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ARC Training Centre for Optimal Ageing
Lim, Y. Y. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Kulic, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Grundy, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Batstone, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Olivier, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Wilson Rajaratnam, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Cornish, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Anderson, C. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Klein, B. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Browning, C. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Pase, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Abdi, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Robinson, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)), McNaney, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Srikanth, V. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Hill, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Flynn, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Callisaya, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Brusco, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Carreno-Medrano, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Cronin, J. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Fripp, J. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Kothari, N. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Toms, M. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Browne, E.-J. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Neilson, P. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Orelowitz, J. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Udagedara, I. B. (Partner Investigator (PI)), De Chaumont Rambert, C. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Haddock, R. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Pitt, A. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Pearman, A. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Lethlean, G. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Skye, S. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Cai, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Ayton, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Jackson, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Charalambous, G. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Little, K. (Project Manager), Cook, A. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Foley, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Foley, B. (Partner Investigator (PI)) & Varma, P. (Chief Investigator (CI))
Australian Research Council (ARC), Readiness Pty Ltd, Future Wellness Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Aunty Grace Pty Ltd, Andromeda Robotics Holdings Pty Ltd
25/05/23 → 25/05/28
Project: Research
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CSIRO Next Generation Graduates Program: AI in Mental Health
McNaney, R. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Olivier, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Yap, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Cai, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Wu, L. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Watterson, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Haffari, R. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Qu, L. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Wilson Rajaratnam, S. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Wang, T. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Sharp, G. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Alvarez-Jimenez, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), D'Alfonso, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Kostakos, V. (Chief Investigator (CI))
Pola Practice Pty Ltd, Crank Group Pty Ltd
5/04/23 → 31/12/27
Project: Research
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Sleep disturbances are associated with multiple definitions of long COVID
Quan, S. F., Weaver, M. D., Czeisler, M., Booker, L. A., Jackson, M. L., Robbins, R., Howard, M. E., Varma, P. & Rajaratnam, S. M. W., 1 Feb 2025, In: Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 21, 2, p. 445-446 2 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › Other › peer-review
Open Access -
Accurate detection of acute sleep deprivation using a metabolomic biomarker-A machine learning approach
Jeppe, K., Ftouni, S., Nijagal, B., Grant, L. K., Lockley, S. W., Rajaratnam, S. M. W., Phillips, A. J. K., McConville, M. J., Tull, D. & Anderson, C., 8 Mar 2024, In: Science Advances. 10, 10, 17 p., eadj6834.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access8 Citations (Scopus) -
Adaptive sleep behaviours and shift work tolerance during the transition to shift work
Harris, R., Drummond, S. P. A., Meadley, B., Rajaratnam, S. M. W., Williams, B., Smith, K., Bowles, K. A., Nguyen, E., Dobbie, M. L. & Wolkow, A. P., Dec 2024, In: Sleep Medicine. 124, p. 483-493 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
A perspective on the Festschrift of Charles A. Czeisler, PhD MD
Klerman, E. B., Wright, K. P., Duffy, J. F., Scheer, F. A. J. L., Chang, A.-M., Czeisler, C. A. & Rajaratnam, S. M., Feb 2024, In: Sleep Health. 10, 1, p. S4-S10 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment / Debate › Other › peer-review
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A pilot study of light exposure as a countermeasure for menstrual phase-dependent neurobehavioral performance impairment in women
Grant, L. K., Gooley, J. J., St. Hilaire, M. A., Joffe, H., Brainard, G. C., Van Reen, E., Rüger, M., Rajaratnam, S. M. W., Lockley, S. W., Czeisler, C. A. & Rahman, S. A., Feb 2024, In: Sleep Health. 10, 1S, p. S34-S40 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus)
Prizes
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Dean’s Award for Excellence in Education (Teaching Innovation; School of Psychology Team)
Cornish, K. (Recipient), McKenzie, W. (Recipient), Heinrich, L. (Recipient), Rickard, N. (Recipient), Anderson, C. (Recipient), Cain, S. (Recipient) & Wilson Rajaratnam, S. (Recipient), 3 Jul 2013
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Press/Media
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Paramedic Health and Wellbeing Research Unit (PHAWRU)
Bowles, K., Meadley, B., Caldwell Odgers, J., Perraton, L., Bonham, M., Williams, B., Smith, K., Wilson Rajaratnam, S. & Wolkow, A.
21/02/19
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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CREATORS: 'Immersive Installation Explores Sleep Culture and Insomnia'
Bird, M., McMahon, M., Rajaratnam, S., Drummond, S., Parry, C., Franke, J. D. & Adams, P.
7/07/17
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Review
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ART ALMANAC: 'Matthew Bird: Dormitorium'
Bird, M., McMahon, M., Rajaratnam, S., Drummond, S., Parry, C., Franke, J. D. & Adams, P.
10/06/17
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Review
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SMH: 'Trouble sleeping? Designers might have the answer (here's a clue: lose the blue)'
Bird, M., McMahon, M., Rajaratnam, S., Drummond, S., Parry, C., Franke, J. D. & Adams, P.
28/03/17
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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ABC RADIO NATIONAL: 'An invitation to sleep'
Bird, M., McMahon, M., Rajaratnam, S., Drummond, S., Parry, C., Franke, J. D. & Adams, P.
20/03/17
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Article/Feature