A/Prof Naomi Rogers has recently commenced at the Brain & Mind Research Institute, continuing her research into sleep and circadian disruption.
Naomi is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sydney and has recently moved to the BMRI from her role as Senior Research Fellow in the Sleep & Circadian Group at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research. Naomi completed her undergraduate Bachelor of Science and Honours degrees at the University of Adelaide and received her PhD in Sleep and Chronobiology at the University of South Australia. She then worked in the Division of Sleep & Chronobiology at the University of Pennsylvania for 5 years before returning to Australia and the Woolcock. Naomi was a NHMRC Howard Florey Research Fellow and current recipient of a NSW BioFirst award.
During her time at the University of Pennsylvania, she worked on studies funded by NASA, the Department of Defence and the National Institutes of Health, investigating the effects of sleep deprivation (total and chronic partial sleep loss) and circadian rhythm disruption (e.g., shift work and jet lag). Her current research interests are focused on physiological and neurobehavioural effects of sleep loss and circadian disruption, and evaluating behavioural, technological and pharmacological countermeasures to sleep loss and circadian disruption.
She is an internationally recognised researcher in the field of sleep and chronobiology, and has presented invited papers at national and international conferences, in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Europe and Asia. She has numerous publications in scientific journals and invited chapters and review papers in books and journals. She has served as an expert in her field on panels and in workshops for the National Institutes of Health (U.S.), NASA, National Space Biomedical Research Institute, National Transport Commission and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. She is currently an executive committee member of the World Federation of Sleep Research & Sleep Medicine Societies.
Naomi is focusing her current research on investigating endogenous circadian rhythms in patients with primary insomnia and major depression, as well as assessing the impact of circadian disruption and sleep loss on neurocognitive function in shiftworkers and different patient populations. Additional research is focused on identifying biomarkers and genetic factors contributing to individual variability in the response to circadian disruption and sleep loss.
Jodie Sirone
Jodie Sirone started with the Brain & Mind Research Institute in mid 2007 in the newly created position of Executive Assistant. Coming from the Burns Research Institute at the Children's Hospital at Westmead, and with a background in administration, sales & marketing and recruitment, Jodie's role here at BMRI will focus on establishing administrative systems within the Institute and liaising within the University and with external organisations to grow awareness of BMRI research and activities.
Jodie is involved in implementing and maintaining new internal administrative and financial processes, managing the recruitment of staff and overseeing the compilation of submissions for new infrastructure developments. Aspects of advertising the range of Brain & Mind Research Institute clinical and research activities include the organisation of scientific symposia and institute events, supporting the production of relevant marketing material, liaising with media and seeking out potential sponsorships and fundraising opportunities.
