Scott Cairney, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology and IMRY Science Faculty Lead
Scott completed a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Manchester before moving to York as a Postdoctoral Research Associate.
After winning Wellcome Trust and MRC Fellowships, he set up his own lab to focus on sleep and mental health.
email: scott.cairney@york.ac.uk
Our 60-second interview with Scott:
Could you please tell us what work you do in the field of mental health?
I’m interested in understanding why and how sleep disturbances are associated with mental health problems, with a focus on neurobiological perspectives.
What do you find most rewarding and inspiring in this work?
Making new discoveries about how sleep supports our mental health and getting to work with talented people every day.
What is the most challenging or complicated aspect of this work?
Getting the data! Because we’re interested in sleep, we have to spend a lot of nights in the lab.
What impact do you hope your work is having - or can potentially have?
We have known for a long time that sleep problems are a major risk factor for mental ill-health, but we have a limited understanding of the fundamental biology underpinning this relationship. My research is bringing us closer to this understanding and, in doing so, can have major implications for the prevention, treatment and early detection of psychiatric conditions.
Could you share with us one piece of advice that you follow for your own mental health?
Get plenty of sleep!