Research Scientist SRI International, Human Sleep Research Program
Dilara Yüksel, Ph.D., is a Research Scientist in the Human Sleep Research Program and joined SRI International in 2018. During her postdoctoral fellowship, she primarily focused on the study of sleep and cardiovascular health in clinical and non-clinical populations, with an emphasis on understanding adolescent sleep disorders and their association with stress and central and autonomic nervous system function.
With her interest in the intersection of technology, research, and health, she has investigated physiological (sleep) processes in observational in-lab and remote studies, using various methodologies including wearable technology, polysomnography, or digital surveys.
As part of her work, Yüksel leads a diverse lab team, which consists of multiple Research Associates, Interns, and a Phlebotomist.
Yüksel has published over 35 international peer-reviewed papers.
Yüksel has a background in Cognitive Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology. Prior to joining SRI, she was working on projects investigating neurobiological correlates and biomarkers of major psychiatric disorders.
Yüksel obtained a MSc in Psychology from University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany in 2013 and a PhD in Medical Sciences (Clinical Neuroscience) from Philipps University Marburg, Germany in 2018.
View Yüksel’s publications on Research Gate.
Recent publications
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Effects of emerging alcohol use on developmental trajectories of functional sleep measures in adolescents
We tracked developmental changes in polysomnographic (PSG) and electroencephalographic (EEG) sleep measures and their relationship with emergent alcohol use in adolescents considering confounding effects (e.g., cannabis use).
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Stress, hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis activity and autonomic nervous system function in adolescents with insomnia
We investigated the relationship between insomnia, stress, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, and autonomic nervous system (ANS) function in adolescence.
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A virtual reality-based mind–body approach to downregulate psychophysiological arousal in adolescent insomnia
A novel, digital, immersive virtual reality (VR)-based mind–body approach, designed to reduce bedtime arousal in adolescents with insomnia.
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Performance of Fitbit Charge 3 Against Polysomnography in Measuring Sleep in Adolescent Boys and Girls
We evaluated the performance of Fitbit Charge 3™ (FC3), a multi-sensor commercial sleep-tracker, for measuring sleep in adolescents against gold-standard laboratory polysomnography (PSG).
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Physiological Responses to Acute Psychosocial Stress in Women with Menopausal Insomnia
Insomnia disorder is a common sleep disorder and frequently emerges in the context of menopause, being associated with menopause-specific factors such as hot flashes and other psychosocial variables.
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How the COVID‐19 Pandemic Has Changed Our Lives: A Study of Psychological Correlates Across 59 Countries
This study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent social restrictions or quarantines on the mental health of the global adult population.