Understanding Sleepiness When You're Sick
Mechanistic studies of sickness sleep
This research helps us understand why people feel extra sleepy when they are sick and how this sleep might help them recover.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11127662 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
When you're sick, your body often wants to rest more, move less, and eat less, a behavior known as "sickness sleep." This project uses tiny worms called C. elegans to explore the basic biological reasons behind this sleepiness. We want to find out which cells release a signal called EGF that makes you feel tired when sick, and discover other genes involved in this process. Ultimately, we hope to learn if this extra sleep actually helps the body heal and recover from illness.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research does not directly involve human participants, but future studies building on this work may seek individuals experiencing sickness-related sleepiness.
Not a fit: Patients not experiencing sickness-related sleepiness would not directly benefit from this specific line of research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to diagnose and treat excessive sleepiness during illness, and help us understand how sleep aids recovery.
How similar studies have performed: While the specific mechanisms of EGF activation during sickness are unclear, the general phenomenon of sickness behavior and its regulation by EGF is observed across many animal species.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Raizen, David Menassah — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Raizen, David Menassah
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.