Research
Christina McCrae
The McCrae Sleep Research Lab directed by Dr. Christina McCrae investigates the mechanisms underlying normal and pathological sleep, the link between sleep and cognition, the daily variability inherent in sleep and sleep-related behaviors, and the efficacy and effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral interventions to treat insomnia in diverse populations (e.g., children with autism spectrum disorders, overweight and obese individuals of all ages, older individuals, dementia caregivers, and medical populations, including pain, cardiac disease, cancer, and end stage renal disease). As a result of these research emphases, we collaborate with a broad range of investigators that specialize in aging, autism, cognition, cardiology, immunology, neuroimaging, neurology, nursing, obesity, pain, psycho-oncology, rheumatology, and sleep medicine.
Meet the Team
Christina S. McCrae, PhD-- Principal Investigator
Dr. McCrae received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis in 1999. Her research on sleep uses and often modifies established behavioral and cognitive behavioral interventions to treat clinic insomnia and related conditions (e.g., depression, anxiety, pain, fatigue). Chronic insomnia typically occurs in the context of other conditions and stressors, her research impacts a wide variety of patients (children with autism spectrum disorders, chronic pain, cardiac disease, cancer, end-stage renal disease) and other populations (older adults, overweight and obese individuals of all ages, dementia and other caregivers). Her program of interdisciplinary clinical research is intended to contribute to the establishment of best practices in behavioral healthcare based on evidence, to enhance quality of life in individuals with insomnia, to elucidate the mechanisms underlying chronic insomnia and related conditions, and to train future generations of clinical scientists.
Angeline Saint Fleur-- Graduate Research Assistant
Angeline is currently a PhD student at the University of South Florida, in the College of Nursing. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Florida in 2018. Her desire to understand how sleep impacts health and the use of cognitive behavioral therapies has led her to pursue a graduate research assistant position at the McCrae Sleep Research Lab. Her current research interests include hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, maternal mental health, and health disparities. She understands that sleep plays a role in maternal mental health and pregnancy. Therefore, she hopes to integrate sleep, along with cognitive behavioral therapies, in her future research in this population. Angeline is excited to be a part of the lab’s mission to improve the sleep quality of various populations experiencing sleep difficulties.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Christopher Eugene is currently an undergraduate student at the University of South Florida. He is studying biology and plans to become a doctor. With one of his interests being neurology, this research provides an insight into cognitive science that can further his knowledge within the field.
Deweena Zacharias is a junior at the University of South Florida majoring in Biomedical Sciences and pursuing minors in Public Health and Psychology. Ever since she was a child, her interests have revolved around healthcare, specifically in pediatrics, which propelled her into the pre-medical track and working directly with patients through scribing, volunteering at TGH, and has led her to the McCrae Sleep Research Lab. As a young college student, sleep never tends to be a priority among most individuals, specifically students, and the detrimental effects are usually overlooked. Deweena is thrilled to be a part of the lab and to be involved in works that could improve physical and cognitive health and prevent future impairments through the refinement of sleep behaviors.
Liam Mahony is a junior majoring in Philosophy. One of the main reasons he chose to research in the McCrae sleep lab was to further his professional ambitions working with a special needs population. For the past two years, he was employed at a summer camp catering to children with social, emotional, and learning challenges, including autism, ODD, and ADHD. Whether in the role of a camp counselor or as a supervisor guiding staff toward success, he is a strong advocate for a personalized and nurturing therapeutic approach when working with special needs populations. Combining his hands-on involvement at camp along with the data-driven analytical advantages provided by the sleep lab, this research opportunity will undoubtedly enhance his expertise in the field and further reinforce his career goals.
Olivia Dydzuhn is a senior majoring in psychology, with a concentration in advanced research in psychology and a minor in children’s behavioral healthcare. Her past experiences include an internship with the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay doing crisis counseling, and research with a Comparative Psychology Lab collecting data on how animal training can increase their attractiveness. She is excited to work in the McCrae Sleep Research Laboratory to help make an impact in this important research topic and gain further experience to bring into her clinical psychology career.
Bia Doh is a freshman from Arizona majoring in Biomedical Sciences. She is excited to be part of this lab because sleep research is something she is unfamiliar with. She loves learning new things and anything related to psychology so she believes this will be an eye-opening experience for her.
Angela Paulson is currently an undergraduate student at the University of South Florida in the College of Public Health and Judy Genshaft Honors College. As a public health major, preventative and primary care has always been a strong interest for her. When she heard about Dr. McCrae's Sleep Lab, she was immediately intrigued by how daily activities, like sleep, can impact one's health.
Rufei Chen is currently an undergraduate student at USF who is majoring in Biomedical Sciences; she is also a part of the Judy Genshaft Honors College. Rufei is very excited to enroll in the McCrae Sleep Lab Research as an Undergraduate Research Assistant. As an enthusiast in pursuing a career in the medical/clinical field in the future, Rufei wishes to gain valuable clinical experience and knowledge from this research lab. Moreover, Rufei is highly interested in psychology and has taken relevant courses in the past, thus, she looks forward to applying her knowledge on psychology to this research, and also to gain new knowledge related to the psychology field.
Tram Le is a Biomedical Engineering major. Her field of interest is healthcare and she would love to learn more about people’s health and delve into topics such as sleep quality and insomnia. Working in the McCrae Sleep Research Lab will allow her to obtain a variety of research skills and knowledge surrounding sleep.
Full Width Preview
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In sit amet sollicitudin erat, in elementum purus. Suspendisse potenti. Mauris vel molestie velit. Maecenas placerat dui venenatis, consectetur nunc eget, fermentum lectus. Suspendisse id erat eu dui fermentum interdum. Ut euismod orci dui, eget laoreet libero gravida vitae. Etiam ut lacinia lacus, ac feugiat augue. Ut non odio ac urna pellentesque semper.
Call to ActionCall to ActionLab Alumni
Melanie Stearns, PhD
Melanie A. Stearns received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Mississippi State University and is currently the director of the Family, Adolescent, Child, and Caregiver Translational Sleep (FACCTS) Lab. She is broadly interested in child and caregiver physical and mental health, including sleep, oppositional behaviors, and stress. She is also interested in parenting behaviors and how they impact child and caregivers. She is currently involved in several lines of research which involve improving sleep in specialized populations such as children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and grandfamilies (grandparents raising grandchildren and their grandchildren).
Contact: mstearns@usf.edu
Kevin McGovney
Kevin is a fifth-year student in the clinical psychology doctoral program at the University of Missouri. He has worked in Dr. Christina McCrae's lab since 2017, where he started as an undergraduate research assistant. He is trained in providing assessment and treatment to individuals experiencing pain and insomnia. Additionally, his research interests primarily involve the examination of physical activity, sleep, and pain.
Contact: kdmvff@mail.missouri.edu