Ron Grunstein

Biography

Ron Grunstein is currently Professor of Sleep Medicine and head of the NHMRC Centre for Integrated Research and Understanding of Sleep (CIRUS) and the NHMRC Australasian Sleep Trials Network. He is an NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow and was previously a NHMRC Practitioner Fellow since 2002. Professor Grunstein is a staff specialist physician in Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, has an honorary appointment in respiratory and sleep medicine at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney and heads the Sleep and Circadian Research Group, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research. Prof. Grunstein has a strong interest in translational clinical research in sleep health and was involved in the early development of nasal CPAP and non-invasive ventilatory support for sleep-breathing disorders. His current main interests involve in metabolic and neurobiological effects of sleep loss. As well he leads research in the simplification of sleep apnea diagnosis and new treatment interventions in sleep disorders. Dr Grunstein has been a visiting scientist at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden and other overseas universities. He was awarded the Nathaniel Kleitman Award of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine in 2011 and the Distinguished Achievement Award of the Australasian Sleep Association in 2010. In 2012, he was awarded the RPA Foundation research medal and the Research Medal of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand in 2016. He has a long standing interest in health communication through the media and in 2008 was appointed a Public Member of the Australian Press Council. Dr Grunstein also serves as chief medical advisor to Sleep Disorders Australia, an advocacy body for patients with sleep disorders. He has also advised Australian, British and EU road regulatory bodies on sleep disorders and has served as Associate Editor of Sleep and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Sleep Research, Sleep Medicine Reviews, Sleep Medicine and Respiratory Research. He has Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degrees and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Sydney and a PhD from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Professor Grunstein was the President of the World Sleep Federation (2007-11) that represents over 12,000 researchers and sleep clinicians globally and was President of the Australasian Sleep Association 1994-1997.

Research Interest

Professor Grunstein has diverse interests in clinical research in sleep disorders and sleep health. Research includes diagnosis, effects and management of sleep apnea, epidemiology of sleep disorders, impact of sleep loss on human health, interaction of work and sleep and evaluating and developing new treatment approaches in sleep disorders.