Associate Professor Shantha M.W. Rajaratnam

Biography

Shantha Rajaratnam is Associate Professor in the School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine at Monash University. He is also a Lecturer in Medicine in the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School (USA) and Associate Neuroscientist in the Division of Sleep Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital (USA).

He was awarded a PhD on the subject of chronobiology in 1998 and a Bachelor of Laws degree in 2000. From 2000 to 2002, he undertook post-doctoral training at the Centre for Chronobiology (University of Surrey, UK) and from 2004-2006, was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Sleep Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston.

Professional Activities

Registered Psychologist, Psychologists Registration Board of Victoria
Associate Fellow and Chartered Psychologist, British Psychological Society
Member, Sleep Research Society
Member, Society for Research on Biological Rhythms
Member, Harvard Work Hours, Health and Safety Group
Member, Working Time Society
Executive Committee, Australasian Sleep Association
Executive Committee, Australasian Sleep Trials Network
Chair, Shiftwork Steering Group, Australasian Sleep Trials Network
Convenor, Monash Sleep Network

Research Interests

Circadian regulation of sleep
Effects of melatonin and melatonin agonists on sleep and circadian rhythms
Effects of light on the human circadian system
Evaluation of fatigue management programs for shift workers
Consequences of sleep loss and sleep disruption
Regulation of working time and legal issues relating to sleep loss and fatigue

Postgraduate Research Projects

A variety of projects are offered in the above areas. Please contact me for further information

Potential Student Projects

A variety of projects are offered in the above areas. Please contact me for further information

Teaching

Coordinator BNS3052 Drugs, Brain and Altered Awareness
Coordinator PSL3072 Psychological Foundations of Law

Collaborations

Lecturer in Medicine, Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School (USA)
Associate Neuroscientist, Division of Sleep Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital (USA)
Honorary Researcher, Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre
Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Australia

Publications

Rajaratnam SM, Polymeropoulos MH, Fisher DM, Roth T, Scott C, Birznieks G, Klerman EB. Melatonin agonist tasimelteon (VEC-162) for transient insomnia after sleep-time shift: two randomised controlled multicentre trials. Lancet. 2008 Dec 1. [Epub ahead of print]

Bohle P, Di Milia L, Fletcher A, Rajaratnam S. Introduction: aging and the multifaceted influences on adaptation to working time. Chronobiol Int. 2008 Apr;25(2):155-64.

Arendt J, Rajaratnam SM. Melatonin agonists - an update. Br J Psychiatry. 2008 Oct;193(4):267-9.

Parcell DL, Ponsford JL, Redman JR, Rajaratnam SM. Poor sleep quality and changes in objectively recorded sleep after traumatic brain injury: A preliminary study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2008; 89:843-50.

Vanderwalle G, Middleton B, Rajaratnam SM, Stone BM, Thorleifsdottir B, Arendt J, Dijk DJ. Robust circadian rhythm in heart rate and its variability: influence of exogenous melatonin and photoperiod. Journal of Sleep Research 2007;16(2):148-155.

Parcell DL, Ponsford JL, Rajaratnam SM, Redman JR. Self-reported changes to nighttime sleep after traumatic brain injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2006;87(2):278-285.

Swann CE, Yelland GW, Redman JR, Rajaratnam SM. Chronic partial sleep loss increases the facilitatory role of a masked prime in a word recognition task. Journal of Sleep Research 2006;15(1):23-9.

Jones CB, Dorrian J, Rajaratnam SM, Dawson D. Working hours regulation and fatigue in transportation: A comparative analysis. Safety Science 2005;43:225-252.

Steele DL, Rajaratnam, SMW, Redman JR, Ponsford JL. The effect of traumatic brain injury on the timing of sleep. Chronobiology International 2005;22(1):89-105.

Jones CB, Dorrian J, Rajaratnam SM. Fatigue and the criminal law. Industrial Health 2005;43(1):63-70.