Our Team

My research is aimed at understanding the root causes of sleep health disparities and their impact on cardiovascular disease by 1) addressing the social and environmental determinants of sleep disorders and insufficient sleep; and 2) investigating the influence of modifiable factors such as sleep disorders and disturbances on disparities in cardiovascular outcomes.

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Dr. Vaccarino is the Wilton Looney Professor of Cardiovascular Research, Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, with a joint appointment in the Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine. She received her MD degree from the University of Milan, Italy, in 1984, and her PhD degree in epidemiology from Yale University in 1994. In 1995 she was appointed assistant professor at the Yale University School of Medicine. In 2000 she left Yale to join the faculty of the Emory University School of Medicine where she reached the rank of Professor of Medicine in 2006. In March 2010 through June 2018, Dr. Vaccarino was appointed the Rollins Professor and Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health. Since 2005, Dr. Vaccarino has directed the Emory Program in Cardiovascular Outcomes Research and Epidemiology (“EPICORE”), a multidisciplinary research group concentrating on clinical and population epidemiology, outcomes research, clinical trials and translational research in cardiovascular diseases and related disciplines. Between 2005 and 2008 she was also the medical director of the Emory Heart Center Information Services, which supports as an investigative resource the Emory Cardiac Database, one of the nation’s original and largest computerized cardiovascular databases. Dr. Vaccarino is the BIRCWH mentor for Dr. Samaah Sullivan.

Tené T. Lewis’ primary area of research is in the area of health psychology/psychosocial epidemiology, with an emphasis on cardiovascular health in women.  She has a particular interest in understanding how psychological and social factors contribute to the disproportionately high rates of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality observed in African-American women compared to women of other racial/ethnic groups.  Dr. Lewis has two primary projects: one focused on psychosocial stress, resilience, and ambulatory blood pressure in healthy African-American women, and the other focused on psychosocial stress, inflammation and atherosclerosis in African-American women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.  Dr. Lewis’ scientific work has received honors from the American Psychosomatic Society and the Health Psychology Division of the American Psychological Association and has been featured in the Washington Post, USA Today, Essence Magazine, JET magazine and on National Public Radio (NPR).

Dr. Gena L. Glickman is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland. She received Bachelor Degrees in Psychology and Occupational Therapy from Villanova University and Thomas Jefferson University, and a Masters and Doctoral degree in Experimental Psychology from University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Prior to starting at USU, she continued at UCSD as a faculty member in the Center for Circadian Biology and also began conducting military research at the Naval Health Research Center in San Diego, California. Dr. Glickman has broad expertise in behavioral neuroscience and circadian rhythms, and the primary focus of her research program is to further understand sleep, circadian rhythms and the biological effects of light in order to maximize human health and well-being. To that end, she has studied the effects of different lighting characteristics (e.g. exposure parameters, prior light history) on circadian resetting, melatonin suppression and the efficacy of therapeutic applications. By employing a variety of biomedical research techniques in humans and rodent models, her work has further elucidated the neural mechanisms that mediate the biological effects of light. Dr. Glickman’s lab is now examining how the basic science of this primitive sensory system can be used to guide the rational development of clinical therapies and architectural lighting strategies. Current applications under investigation include the use of light therapy as an adjunct to cognitive processing therapy for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder as well as novel, multi-component lighting interventions that aim to optimize health and performance in hospital shiftworkers and military service members.

Dr. Helen Burgess is originally from Australia, where she completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees. She is now a Professor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and Co-Director of the Sleep and Circadian Research Laboratory in the Department of Psychiatry. Her current research focuses on the assessment and treatment of sleep and circadian disturbance in a variety of human clinical conditions including alcoholism, chronic pain conditions, diabetes, depression, HIV, and post-traumatic stress disorder. She enjoys spending time with her family and two cats, nature hikes and traveling.

My primary research interests are measuring the ways in which air pollution influences human health. Since joining the Department of Environmental Health in 2009, much of my work has involved the development of unique sampling systems for assessing exposure to air pollution in special microenvironments such as inside vehicles while commuting. From 2005 to 2008, I was a post-doctoral fellow in Emory’s Department of Pediatrics and worked on a project investigating the influence of air pollution exposure on pediatric asthma patients. From 1999-2005, I was a PhD student at Georgia Tech and worked on two projects: development of an instrument to measure water-insoluble aerosols in real-time and computer modeling of the influence of atmospheric particulate matter on crop production. Prior to graduate school, I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin, West Africa (1995-1998) and studied civil engineering at Clemson University (1990-1994). I currently am an Assistant Professor at Georgia State University.

My research focuses on the association between sleep, circadian rhythms and cardiometabolic diseases, including diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. I focus on “real world assessments of habitual sleep patterns and perform detailed clinical measures of biomarkers of disease risk. In addition, my research examines whether sleep and circadian rhythms partially mediate socioeconomic and/or racial/ethnic health disparities.

I am a passionate and creative individual with a deep love for knowledge and a keen interest in clinical research. My journey into sleep research began with a fascination for how sleep impacts our well-being, and an insatiable curiosity and commitment to advancing healthcare.

I’m a lifelong learner, constantly seeking opportunities to broaden my horizons. Whether it’s diving into the intricacies of artificial intelligence in medicine, studying the nuances of sleep insecurity and its impact on health disparities in our community, or delving into the world of business, I thrive on new challenges and the chance to grow. Outside of my intellectual pursuits, I advocate for environmental sustainability and strongly believe in the power of community engagement. I’m dedicated to making a positive impact on the world, and I look forward to continuing this journey of exploration, creativity, and contribution.

Daekiara Smith-Ireland is a senior research interviewer and sleep scorer for the Sleep Epidemiology Research Group at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. She received her Master’s in Public Health at Mercer University, where she is currently a doctoral student studying social epidemiology. Her interest includes social epidemiology and research related to race and health amongst minority populations particularly African Americans. In her free time Daekiara loves exercising, traveling and rewatching all the Harry Potter movies.

Shyterria is a public health professional committed to improving the health and well-being of rural communities. She holds a master’s degree in public health, specializing in epidemiology. Her research focuses on sleep medicine and cardiovascular disease. With her expertise in public health and research, Shyterria aims to drive positive change in the health outcomes of under-served communities. In her free time, she enjoys exercising and engaging in do-it-yourself projects.