Prof. Dr Karen Spruyt, National Institute of Health and Medical Research, France
Dr. Karen Spruyt is an accomplished academic and researcher specializing in pediatric sleep disorders, neurodevelopment, and neuropsychology. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Belgium, where her doctoral thesis focused on pediatric sleep problems and their impact on daytime behavior. With a diverse career, Dr. Spruyt has held significant academic positions at institutions such as Vrije Universiteit Brussel, the University of Louisville, and the University of Chicago. She currently serves as a Senior Researcher at INSERM, Université Paris Cité, in the NeuroDiderot team, France. Dr. Spruyt has received numerous prestigious grants, including funding from the NIH, EU Horizon 2023, and the Chinese Scholarship Council, and has published 198 peer-reviewed papers. She has also mentored over 130 students, primarily women, in various fields such as psychology, neuropsychology, and pediatrics. Her expertise extends to advanced statistical methodologies and sleep research, contributing to her leadership in international initiatives such as the European Sleep Research Society and the World Sleep Society. Dr. Spruyt has been recognized for her scientific excellence with multiple awards and honors, and her work continues to influence the understanding and treatment of sleep-related issues in children.
Professional Profile 🎓
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Summary of Suitability for Excellence in Research 🌍
Dr. Karen Spruyt is an internationally recognized expert in pediatric sleep medicine and developmental neuropsychology, with a career spanning globally prestigious institutions. Her prolific publication record, significant h-index, and numerous research grants demonstrate her influence and capability in advancing scientific knowledge. She has held leadership positions in prominent organizations such as the World Sleep Society and European Sleep Research Society, contributing to global guidelines and policies in sleep research.
Education 📚
- Master in Psychology (Clinical Psychology)
- Institution: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Belgium
- Year: 1996
- Details: Internship at the Child Neurology Department, VUB Children’s Hospital and Rehabilitation Center “De Poolster,” Brussels, Belgium.
- Certification: Licensed Clinical Psychologist (Belgium) – 732106796
- Master in Child Neuropsychology
- Institution: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam & Paedological Institute, The Netherlands
- Year: 1997
- Master in Quantitative Analysis for the Social Sciences (Biostatistics)
- Institution: Katholieke Universiteit Brussel/Leuven, Belgium
- Year: 2003
- Ph.D. in Psychology
- Institution: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Belgium
- Year: 2005
- Thesis: “Pediatric Sleep Problems: A Contribution to Their Identification and Relationship with Daytime Behavior”
- Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (HDR)
- Institution: L’Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, France
- Year: 2018
Work Experience 💼
- Assistant Professor of Developmental Neuropsychology
- Institution: Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Science, Belgium
- Years: 2007–2016
- Assistant Professor of Behavioral Sleep Research & Developmental Neuropsychology
- Institution: University of Louisville, Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Sleep Medicine Center, Louisville, KY, USA
- Year: 2007
- Assistant Professor (Research Associate) of Pediatrics
- Institution: The University of Chicago, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Sleep Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Year: 2009
- Adjunct Professor of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
- Institution: Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China
- Year: 2012
- Peter Wall Institute International Visiting Research Scholar
- Institution: Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Years: 2013–2014
- Associate Professor of Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS)
- Institution: School of Neuroscience, University of Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Year: 2013
- Scientific Staff Member
- Institution: INSERM (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale), Université Paris Cité, NeuroDiderot, France
- Years: 2016–present
- Visiting Professor
- Institution: Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Years: 2018–present
- Research Fellow and Visiting Academic Fellow
- Institutions: Monash Institute of Medical Research and Ritchie Center for Baby Health Research, Melbourne, Australia (2006)
- Affiliations: Various additional academic appointments globally.
Awards and Recognition 🏅
- 2009 Comer Children’s Hospital Research Award, The University of Chicago
- 2010 Best Clinical Science Presentation Award, Faculty Category, The University of Chicago
- 2010 Minority Sleep Research Award, Sleep Research Network, USA
- 2012 Face of Flanders, Flanders Today, Belgium
- 2013 Peter Wall Institute International Visiting Research Scholar, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- 2019 CIC Chair Neurodis- China, Award for Contributions to Pediatric Sleep Research
- 2019 Chateaubriand Fellowship, Israel
- 2021 Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia, Award for Contributions to Neurodevelopmental Research
Research Skills 🔬
- Behavioral Sleep Research: Extensive expertise in studying the impact of sleep on developmental neuropsychology, particularly in children, with a focus on pediatric sleep problems, their identification, and their relationship with daytime behavior.
- Advanced Statistical Methods: Skilled in quantitative analysis for social sciences and biostatistics, including advanced data-mining, meta-analyses, and neural network training.
- Neurocognitive Function Assessment: Specialized in evaluating the effects of sleep disorders such as snoring and poor sleep quality on neurodevelopmental outcomes.
- Research Methodology: Proficient in using various statistical and software tools such as SPSS, Statistica, MLwin, and LatentGold for complex data analysis, as well as sleep-specific software like BrainRT and Sleepware G for studying sleep patterns.
- International Research Collaboration: Extensive experience in conducting collaborative research across various countries and institutions, including partnerships with Lanzhou University Medical School and University of Sao Paulo Medical School.
- Mentorship: Proven track record in mentoring and training early-career researchers, with a focus on women in science, and has guided numerous PhD and postdoctoral students.
Publication top Notes 📖
Lavender improves sleep through olfactory perception and GABAergic neurons of the central amygdala