Harvard University · BiologyThe Sleep Signal Laboratory
Dragana Rogulja · Cambridge, Massachusetts
Research Focus
Dr. Dragana Rogulja's lab at Harvard Medical School investigates how the gut signals to the brain to influence sleep quality and arousability. The research focuses on the role of nutrients, particularly dietary proteins, in regulating the depth of sleep without affecting its duration. By studying Drosophila (fruit flies), the lab aims to better understand the mechanisms of sleep regulation, which could ultimately inform treatments for sleep disorders in humans.
gut-brain signalingsleep qualitynutritional statusdopaminergic neuronsDrosophilaarousabilityprotein ingestionhealth and longevitysleep disorders
Research Aims
5AIM 01Characterize the CCHa1 signaling pathway in the brain.
AIM 02Investigate how dietary proteins are sensed in the gut.
AIM 03Explore the effects of sleep quality on health across the lifespan.
AIM 04Examine the relationship between sleep depth and sensory arousability.
AIM 05Identify potential strategies for improving sleep quality.
Skills the Lab Values
molecular biology techniquesDrosophila geneticsneuroscience methodsbehavioral assaysimmunohistochemistrydata analysis in RbioinformaticsWestern blottingoptogenetics
Output against the department
Publications32bottom 4% of dept.987th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations2.1kbottom 15% of dept.881st of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.