Kenneth P.ÌýWright Jr.

  • Professor of Distinction
  • Graduate Affairs Associate Chair
  • INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
Address

Office: Clare 112
Fax: 303-492-4009

Research Interests

  • Health and safety consequences of insufficient sleep and circadian misalignment. Development of biomarkers, countermeasures and treatments for sleep and circadian disruption to improve public health and safety.
  • Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory.

Education

  • 1986-1990, B.S. (Psychology), University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
  • 1991-1994, M.A., (Behavioral Neuroscience/Psychology) Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH
  • 1994-1996, Ph.D. (Behavioral Neuroscience/Psychology) Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH

Professional Experience

  • 1989-1991, Research Assistant in Psychology, Sleep and Cognition Unit, Psychology Department, University of Arizona; Tucson, AZ. Director, Richard R. Bootzin, Ph.D.
  • 1995-1997, Post-doctoral Faculty Fellow, Behavioral Neuroscience/Sleep and Circadian Rhythms, Psychology Department, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH. Director, Pietro Badia, Ph.D.
  • 1997-2000, Research Fellow in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Circadian, Neuroendocrine and Sleep Disorders Section, Brigham and WomenÃŒs Hospital, Boston, MA. Director, Charles A. Czeisler, Ph.D., M.D.
  • 2000-2001, Associate Neuroscientist, Division of Endocrinology, Circadian, Neuroendocrine and Sleep Disorders Section, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
  • 2000-2002, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
  • 2001-2002, Associate Neuroscientist, Division of Sleep Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
  • 2001-2002, Director, Fatigue Countermeasures Research Program, Division of Sleep Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
  • 2002-2003, Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology & Applied Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.
  • 2003-2009, Assistant Professor, Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.
  • 2009-2015, Adjunct Associate Professor, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO.
  • 2009-2015, Associate Professor, Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.
  • 2015-ÌýAdjunct Professor, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO.
  • 2015- Professor, Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.
  • 2019-ÌýProfessor of Distinction, Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.

Honors and Awards

  • 1996, Charles E. Shanklin Award for Research Excellence of the Bowling Green State University.
  • 1997-2000, National Research Service Award (T32) - National Institutes of Health.
  • 1998-2000, Distinction in Teaching; Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning; Harvard University.
  • 1999-2001, Fellowship in Clinical and Community Health Research The Medical Foundation and Harold Whitworth Pierce Charitable Trust.
  • 2000, Young Investigator Award, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Honorable mention.
  • 2003, Young Investigator, William C. Dement Sleep and Chronobiology Apprenticeship, Brown University.
  • 2005, J. Christian Gillin, M.D. Research Award, Sleep Research Society Foundation.
  • 2007, Distinguished Service Award, Sleep Research Society.
  • 2007, Marinus Smith Award, University of Colorado Parents Association.
  • 2013, Provost's Faculty Achievement Award, University of Colorado Boulder.
  • ​2018, Boulder Faculty Assembly Excellence Award for Research, Scholarly and Creative Work – University of Colorado Boulder.
  • 2019Ìý Integrative Physiology Faculty Excellence in Research – University of Colorado Boulder
  • 2022ÌýÌýMary A. Carskadon Outstanding Educator Award, Sleep Research Society

Recent Publications

  • Davidson JA, Creasy SA, Meneses E, Brinton JT, Bernard A, Bowen AE, Hawkins SMM, Cree MG, Nadeau KJ, Melanson EL, Wright KP Jr, Simon SL. The effect of an experimental sleep extension manipulation on timing and duration of sedentary behavior and physical activity in habitually short-sleeping and inactive adolescents: Results from a randomized crossover trial. Sleep Health. 2026 Mar 24:S2352-7218(26)00017-3. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2026.02.006.
  • Olson M, Withrow D, Koelbel M, Southworth G, Phan A, Wright KP Jr, Whisner CM, Petrov ME. What is the nature of sleep and circadian rhythm health on gastrointestinal microbiota? A systematic review of studies in humans. Sleep Med Rev. 2026 Apr;86:102256. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2026.102256. Epub 2026 Feb 17.
  • Stegman AP, Kubicki M, Mallender Z, Zimmerman GA, Sundar KM, Baron KG, Reisdorph NP, Wright Jr., KP Depner CM. ÌýFrom yawn to dawn: the effects of a sleep extension intervention on objective and subjective dimensions of sleep health in adults with habitual short sleep duration Sleep Adv. 2026 Jan 9;7(1):zpag003. doi: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpag003. eCollection 2026.
  • Beals JW, Smith GI, Farabi SS, Patterson BW, Lucey BP, Broussard JL, Wright Jr KP, Klein S. Sleep extension improves sleep health but not insulin sensitivity in people with overweight/obesity who maintain habitual short sleep schedules. Diabetes Care. 2026 May 1;49(5):740-745. doi: 10.2337/dc25-2083.Ìý
  • Hartstein LE, Akacem LD, Wright KP Jr, LeBourgeois MK. The Relationship Between Circadian Phase and Sleep Timing in Preschool-Aged Children. J Biol Rhythms. 2026 Feb;41(1):139-145. doi: 10.1177/07487304251377616. Epub 2025 Oct 17
  • Rosenberg R, Breit MJ, Clark KC, Broussard JL, Catenacci VA, Depner CM, Simon SL, Wright KP Jr, Zuraikat FM, Creasy SA. Examining the Role of Sleep in Body Weight Regulation and Implications for Obesity Treatment: A Narrative Review. Obes Rev. 2026 Feb;27(2):e70017. doi: 10.1111/obr.70017. Epub 2025 Sep 8.
  • Simon SL, Cooper E, Bernard A, Bowen AE, Holtman S, Brinton JT, Hawkins SMM, Cree MG, Nadeau KJ, Wright KP Jr. Evening Chronotype Is Associated With Daytime Impairment and Differential Sleep and Circadian Response to a Sleep Extension Manipulation in Short Sleeping Adolescents. J Sleep Res. 2026 Feb;35(1):e70062. doi: 10.1111/jsr.70062. Epub 2025 Jun 3
  • Dashti HS, Jansen EC, Zuraikat FM, Dixit S, Brown M, Laposky A, Broussard JL, Butler MP, Creasy SA, Crispim CA, Depner CM, Esser KA, Garaulet M, Hanlon EC, Makarem N, Manoogian ENC, Peterson CM, Scheer FAJL, Wright KP Jr, Goff DC Jr, Pratt CA, Gamble KL, St-Onge MP. Advancing Chrononutrition for Cardiometabolic Health: A 2023 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Workshop Report. J Am Heart Assoc. 2025 May 6;14(9):e039373. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.124.039373.
  • Duston A, Holtman S, Bowen AE, Cree MG, Nadeau K, Wright KP Jr, Simon SL, Diniz Behn CG. Sex Differences in Circadian Timing and Biological Night in Adolescents. J Biol Rhythms. 2025 Feb;40(1):7-18. doi: 10.1177/07487304241309165
  • Panchal Z, Sakai JT, Ellingson JM, Zellers S, Wright KP Jr, McGue MK, Vrieze S, Hewitt JK, Corley RP, Iacono W, Hopfer CJ, Ross JM. Association of Recreational Cannabis Legalization with Frequency of Using Cannabis for Sleep. J Psychoactive Drugs. 2025 Mar 27:1-10. doi: 10.1080/02791072.2025.2484379.
  • Reis C, Pilz LK, Paiva T, Hidalgo MP, Wright KP Jr. Sleep and circadian rhythms in delayed sleep-wake phase disorder: Phenotypic differences between patients with and without comorbid depression. J Sleep Res. 2025 Jan 15:e14437. doi: 10.1111/jsr.14437.
  • Hartstein LE, Wright KP Jr, Diniz Behn C, Stowe SR, LeBourgeois MK. The Circadian Response to Evening Light Spectra in Early Childhood: Preliminary Insights. J Biol Rhythms. 2025 Jan 8:7487304241311652. doi: 10.1177/07487304241311652.
  • Holtman S, Cooper E, Brinton JT, Bowen AE, Hawkins S, Cree MG, Nadeau KJ, Wright KP Jr, Simon SL. Changes in Circadian Timing Following a One-Week In-Home Sleep Extension Manipulation in Habitually Short-Sleeping Adolescents. Sleep. 2025 Feb 10;48(2):zsae273. doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsae273.