Research in the Deborah Schwengel Lab focuses on perioperative care of pediatric patients with obstructive sleep apnea as well as anesthetic care for patients undergoing ethanol embolization of vascular malformations. Our team also explores topics within graduate medical education. In this field, our work has involved evaluating both an educational curriculum and a disaster preparedness curriculum for anesthesiology residents. We also have a long-standing interest in international adoption medicine.

Research in the Nicholas Dalesio Lab is currently examining pre-surgical predictors of post-surgical respiratory complications in children with obstructive sleep apnea and sleep-disordered breathing; the impact of anesthesia and pharmacological agents on upper airway physiology; and techniques for pediatric airway imaging.

Work in the Philip Smith Lab explores several key topics within the field of sleep medicine. We investigate the role of obesity and neural control in sleep-disordered breathing as well as the impact of metabolic function on sleep apnea. We also research the ways in which HIV and its treatments impact a patient’s sleep. Our studies have included the effects of HIV and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on both sleep and daytime function as well as the relationship between systemic inflammation and sleep apnea in men with HIV.

Our research laboratory is staffed by a dedicated and experienced team of sleep scientists, fellows, technicians, engineers, and students. Currently, we are focused on the following areas:

-Novel treatments for sleep apnea using electrical and nerve stimulation and chemogenetic techniques

-Cardiovascular and metabolic effects of sleep apnea and hypoxia

-Leptin and its impact on breathing and cardiovascular physiology

-Sleep disordered breathing at high altitude

-Dietary impacts on asthma

The Vsevolod Polotsky Lab conducts research on pulmonary diseases, including hypoxia and sleep apnea, with a focus on their relation to obesity and metabolic syndrome. Our studies have explored topics such as the effects of age, leptin and obesity on the upper airway; the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea, insulin resistance and steatohepatitis in severely obese patients; and the impact of intermittent hypoxia on diet-induced obesity. We also have a long-standing interest in critical care pulmonary medicine and have conducted research on various aspects of murine lung injury.