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Dr Shantha M.W. Rajaratnam

Biography

I am a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine at Monash University. I am also a Lecturer in Medicine (academic, part-time) at Harvard Medical School (USA) and Associate Neuroscientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital (USA). I was awarded my PhD on the subject of chronobiology in 1998 and returned to full-time study in 1998 and 1999 to complete a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree. From 2000 to 2002, I undertook post-doctoral training at the Centre for Chronobiology (University of Surrey, UK).

Dr Shantha M.W. Rajaratnam

My postdoctoral research examined the circadian regulation of sleep in humans and the influences of melatonin on sleep, with measurement of sleep (polysomnography), plasma hormones, body temperature and neurobehavioural performance.

From 2004 to 2006, I was at the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital (USA). During this time, I conducted a randomized clinical trial of the effects of a melatonin agonist on human sleep and circadian rhythms, conducted a study examining the efficacy of a fatigue management program in improving the health, safety and performance of police officers, and also a study examining the effects of short wavelength light exposure on sleep, circadian rhythms and neurobehavioural performance. I returned to Monash University in July 2006.

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

Research Interests

  • Circadian regulation of sleep in humans
  • 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
  • Psychology Honours Coordinator (from 2007)

Collaborations

Publications

Rajaratnam SMW, Dijk D-J, Middleton B, Stone B, Arendt J. Melatonin phase-shifts human circadian rhythms with no evidence of changes in the duration of endogenous melatonin secretion or the 24-h production of reproductive hormones. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2003;88(9): 4303-4309.

Phipps-Nelson J, Redman JR, Dijk D-J, Rajaratnam SMW. Daytime exposure to bright light, as compared to dim light, decreases sleepiness and improves psychomotor vigilance performance. Sleep 2003;26(6):695-700.

Rajaratnam SM, Middleton B, Stone BM, Arendt J, Dijk DJ. Melatonin advances the circadian timing of EEG sleep and directly facilitates sleep without altering its duration in extended sleep opportunities in humans. Journal of Physiology. 2004;561(Pt 1):339-351.

Rajaratnam SM, Jones CB. Lessons about sleepiness and driving from the Selby rail disaster case: R v Gary Neil Hart. Chronobiology International 2004;21(6):1073-1077.

Lenne MG, Dwyer F, Triggs TJ, Rajaratnam SM, Redman JR. The effects of a nap opportunity in quiet and noisy environments on driving performance. Chronobiology International 2004;21(6):991-1001.

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

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, Dawson D. Working hours regulation and fatigue in transportation: A comparative analysis. Safety Science 2005;43:225-252.

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.

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.