Sleep, Chronobiology & Neurodisorders research is highly multidisciplinary, and draws upon expertise in sleep physiology and EEG analysis, neuroendocrinology, molecular genetics, rest-activity and waking performance monitoring, circadian photoreception, shift work, sleep disorders, nutritional physiology, neuropharmacology, psychopharmacology, clinical pharmacology, neurotoxicology and neurodegeneration.

Research activities are supported by medical and clinical staff in state-of-the-art facilities at the Surrey Clinical Research Centre (where the Surrey Sleep Research Centre is located) with a 12-bed ward and 12 individual sound-attenuated, light-controlled rooms equipped for sleep and circadian physiology studies. An additional Clinical Investigation Unit also provides facilities for controlled light exposure and ultrasound endothelial function measurement. Radioimmunoassay labs enable the measurement of circadian hormones from samples collected in the field or in the lab. Extensive molecular biology facilities provide equipment for gene expression profiling and genotyping, backed up by transgenic animal facilities. Patch clamp and multielectrode array electrophysiology set-ups and state-of-the-art imaging and microdialysis methodology allows a broad range of in vivo and in vitro research.

Translational research projects investigate sleep and biological rhythms in oil rig shift workers, Antarctic researchers, the elderly, type 2 diabetes patients, the blind, sleep disorder patients, and office workers exposed to different lighting conditions. Sleep, Chronobiology & Neurodisorders research at Surrey has a high national and international profile and consistently attracts significant government, EU, charitable, and industrial funding.  Current research includes sleep, rhythms, cognition and systems biology in humans and transgenic mice (BBSRC & AFOSR), entrainment of the circadian clock (EU-FP6), regulation of melatonin receptors (BBSRC), the genetics of drug addiction (EU-FP6), the pharmacology of GABAB receptor isoforms (BBSRC), and the effects of novel hypnotics, cognitive enhancers and light exposure on sleep and waking performance (Pharmaceutical and Lighting Industry). Academic research staff members are also actively engaged in postgraduate and postdoctoral research training, including participation in EU training networks.