About the Light and Health program
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The Light and Health program at the LRC bridges the gap between science and applications by striving to better understand how the visual and circadian systems work and what lighting characteristics affect them. The Light and Health program aims to develop the means of applying and measuring light that is effective to both visual and circadian systems.
Biological rhythms that repeat approximately every 24 hours are called circadian rhythms. Light is the main stimulus that helps the circadian clock, and thus circadian rhythms, keep a synchronized rhythm with the solar day. Humans need to be exposed to a sufficient amount of light of the right spectrum, for a sufficient amount of time, and at the right time, for our biological clocks to remain synchronized with the solar day. Otherwise, we may experience decrements in physiological functions, neurobehavioral performance, and sleep.
Lighting characteristics that are effective to the circadian system are different than those effective to the visual system. In order to apply light to mitigate the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), jet lag, and sleep deprivation, we need a better understanding of the quantity, spectrum, timing, duration, and distribution of light that is effective for the circadian system.
Life Sciences in Lighting - The LRC is seeking undergraduate candidates for its new and exciting internship program. Advance your science skills with this unique opportunity.
Graduate Students:
- Ken Appleman
- Basar Erdener
- Natalia Lesniak
- Leora Radetsky
- Levent Sahin
Undergraduate Student:
- Brittany Wood
To read more, search for related articles, or view a bibliography of published articles, click here.
