Prof. Dr Karen Spruyt | Health Sciences | Excellence in Research

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

The Need for Pediatric Sleep Education to Enhance Healthcare for Children and Adolescents: A Global Perspective from a Survey of Members of the International Pediatric Sleep Association

Navigating the complex link between infant sleep and development: feels like decoding the Escher labyrinth

Glimpsing tomorrow: Unveiling the prospective trajectory of childhood sleep

A Historical Overview of the Role of Benzodiazepines including Clonazepam in the Treatment of Adult Restless Legs Syndrome and Periodic Limb Movements in Sleep

Dr. Georges Diatta, IRD, Switzerland

Georges Diatta, a Senegalese biologist-researcher. He holds a PhD in Animal Biology with a specialization in Parasitology from Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), Dakar. With over 21 years of experience, Diatta has become a renowned expert in the field of emerging vector-borne diseases, particularly tick-borne borreliosis, zoonoses, and airborne infectious diseases. His research primarily focuses on the epidemiology, geographical distribution, and climate-driven dynamics of vector-borne pathogens in West and North Africa. Diatta currently works at the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) in Dakar, Senegal, where he leads investigations on infectious diseases transmitted by ticks, fleas, lice, and contaminated aerosols. His efforts include mapping the distribution of tick vectors such as Ornithodoros spp. and associated Borrelia pathogens across multiple countries, including Senegal, Gambia, Mali, Morocco, and Algeria. Diatta’s innovative preventive strategy for tick-borne borreliosis in the Sine Saloum region of Senegal significantly reduced infection rates in the local population, impacting public health outcomes.

Summary of Suitability for Best Researcher Award: Georges Diatta

Dr. Georges Diatta is a prominent biologist-researcher specializing in emerging infectious diseases, particularly tick-borne and airborne diseases, with a significant focus on their epidemiology in West and North Africa. With over 21 years of experience, he has made substantial contributions to the understanding and management of these diseases, which are increasingly relevant due to climate change.

Education:

PhD in Animal Biology, Specialization in Parasitology

Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), Dakar, Senegal (2016)
Mention: Très honorable avec félicitations du jury

Doctoral Thesis (3rd Cycle) in Animal Biology, Option Parasitology

Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), Dakar, Senegal (2005)
Mention: Très honorable avec félicitations du jury

Diplôme d’Études Approfondies (DEA/Master) in Animal Biology, Option Parasitology

Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), Dakar, Senegal (1992)
Mention: Bien

Licence ès-Sciences Naturelles (Natural Sciences Degree)

Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), Dakar, Senegal (1989)
Mention: Assez-bien

Recipient of the ASTMH Travel Award

Awarded by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Participated in the Annual Conference, Washington DC, USA (2013)

Work Experience:

2016–2023:
Supervised students and directed Master’s theses in Animal Biology.

2022–2023:

Supervised a Master’s thesis on “Identification of the prevalence of Mansonella perstans and other filaria in the Kédougou and Kolda regions of Senegal.”
Supervised another Master’s thesis titled “Study of the prevalence of tick-borne borreliosis caused by Borrelia crocidurae in endemic regions of Senegal.”

2017–2018:

Scientific coordinator of the clinical trial project “IVERAZITH,” studying the therapeutic efficacy of Azithromycin/Ivermectin in treating pediculosis in Senegal.
Directed a Master’s thesis on “The circulation of Q fever, Coxiella burnetii DNA, and Borrelia spp. among humans, ticks, and in domestic environments in rural areas of Senegal.”

2014–2015:
Led the IVERMECTINE project to control lice infestations in Dielmo and Ndiop, Senegal (clinical trial).

2013–2016:
Managed the preventive tick-borne borreliosis control plan in Sine Saloum, Senegal.

2002–2017:
Scientific coordinator and principal investigator of multiple research projects on infectious diseases at the IRD, Dakar, Senegal.

2002–2014:
Directed research programs on the epidemiology and distribution of tick-borne borreliosis across West, North, and Central Africa.

2010–2012:
Co-investigator in the IDEPATH project, identifying non-malarial fever pathogens in various epidemiological settings in Senegal.

Publication top Notes:

Variation in Relative Abundance of Small Mammal Species Caught in Two Different Ecosystems and Implicated in the Spread of Emerging Pathogens in Mali

Prevalence of Respiratory Pathogens in Nasopharyngeal Swabs of Febrile Patients with or without Respiratory Symptoms in the Niakhar Area of Rural Senegal