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The head of the lab is Dr. Roberto Refinetti, a physiological psychologist with expertise in
organismal physiology and behavioral neuroscience. This is his professional page, which summarizes his activities in research, teaching, and service.
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· University of New Orleans: Professor, since 2020
· Boise State University: Professor, 2014-2019
· University of Messina (Italy): Affiliated Prof., since 2001
· University of South Carolina: Professor, 2005-2013
· University of South Carolina: Assoc. Professor, 2002-2004
· University of South Carolina: Assist. Professor, 1999-2001
· College of William & Mary: Assist. Professor, 1992-1997
· University of Virginia: Postdoc, 1990-1991
· University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign: Postdoc, 1989
· University of California, Santa Barbara: Postdoc, 1988
· University of California, Santa Barbara: Ph.D., 1984-1987
· University of São Paulo (Brazil): M.A., 1982-1983
· University of São Paulo (Brazil): B.S., 1977-1981
· Pontifical Catholic University (Brazil): B.A., 1976-1981
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Dr. Refinetti's
research program focuses on the study of biological rhythms, particularly daily or circadian rhythms. His secondary expertise is in thermal biology.
His work experience includes the fields of animal physiology, animal behavior, behavioral neuroscience, human psychophysics,
philosophy of science, and science policy.
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Dr. Refinetti's major empirical research interest has been
the study of the relationship between circadian rhythmicity and the homeostasis of body temperature.
The study of circadian rhythms has potential implications for the implementation
of long-term space exploration, prevention of jet lag after transmeridian
flights, design of optimal schedules for shift workers, and treatment of
psychiatric patients. Much research in this field is conducted by members of the
Society for Research on Biological Rhythms.
The homeostasis of body temperature is a central
feature of the physiology of mammals and birds, including humans. Body temperature is one of
many physiological variables that have been found to express circadian
rhythmicity. The study of the regulation of body temperature is a
traditional subfield of physiology called
Thermal Physiology.
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 Dr. Refinetti
has published more than 200 articles in professional journals. You can find abstracts for about half of his articles in
PubMed
(the National Library of Medicine's database).
He authored the books Circadian Physiology
(first published in 1999, followed by a second edition in 2005 and a third edition in 2016) and
Philosophy of Physiological Psychology
(written in 1992 and accessible on-line in full text).
For a full list of publications (and selected reprints), see the Publications
section of this web site.
He is a member of nine professional associations, as follows:
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Dr. Refinetti is Professor of Psychology
at the University of New Orleans.
He has been teaching at the university level since 1986.
He has taught undergraduate courses
on Introductory Psychology, Experimental Psychology, Philosophy of Psychology,
History and Systems of Psychology, Physiological Psychology, Statistics, Research Methods,
Sensation and Perception, Human Sexuality, and Biological Rhythms.
He has taught graduate courses on Physiological Psychology and on
Sensation and Perception. He prides himself on delivering well- researched
and well-organized lectures (making use of multimedia resources and computer
technology) and on encouraging critical thinking by stimulating classroom
discussions and by assigning home work with broader implications.
He created (and supervised for four
years) the undergraduate program in Biological Psychology at the
College of William & Mary.
This program allowed students with interdisciplinary interests in the neurosciences to choose an undergraduate major composed of biology and psychology courses (along with other natural science courses).
He has served as freshman advisor and major advisor for hundreds of students.
He has also served as research mentor for numerous undergraduate and graduate students.
He believes deeply in the improvement of a professor's teaching qualifications as a result of the maintenance of
an active research program as well as in the improvement of the professor's research program as a result of constant
interaction with students in the laboratory and in the classroom setting.
The following are some of Dr. Refinetti's former undergraduate advisees:
· Aaron Osborne (Class of 1994)
· Randy Watts (Class of 1995)
· Adam Shoemaker (Class of 1995)
· Steve Susalka (Class of 1996)
· Adam Daymude (Class of 1997)
· Candice Brown (Class of 1998)
· Ann Fennessy (Class of 2000)
· Terri Nettles (Class of 2005)
· Jonathan DeLonge (Class of 2007)
· Tristan Enright (Class of 2016)
· Tallon Endicott (Class of 2019)
· Gabrielle Earle (Class of 2019)
· Samantha Deignan (Class of 2025)
A full list of his past and current research advisees is available in the People section of this web site. Past and current graduate students are also listed there.
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Grade School Outreach
Dr. Refinetti participates in the Society for Neuroscience's Neuroscientist-Teacher Partner Program,
which partners K-12 educators with Society members who are willing to share knowledge and raise children's interest in the nervous system. In 2008, and again in 2009 and 2010, he visited Polo Road Elementary School
(in Columbia, South Carolina) and gave presentations to 4th and 5th grade classes.
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Honors
· Fellow, American Physiological Society (2019)
· Carolina Trustee Professorship (awarded by the Board of Trustees of the University of South Carolina, 2006)
· South Carolina Governor's Distinguished Professor (awarded by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, 2004)
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This page summarizes Dr. Refinetti's professional activities in research, teaching, and service.
Click here for the page that contains
Dr. Refinetti's biographical (personal) information.
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· Acta Biotheoretica
· American Journal of Physiology
· Animal
· Animal Biology
· Animal Models and Experimental Medicine
· Animal Reproduction Science
· Animals
· Annals of Medicine
· Australian Veterinary Journal
· Behavior Genetics
· Behavioral Neuroscience
· Behavior Research Methods
· Bioinformatics
· Biological Research
· Biological Rhythm Research
· Biology Open
· BioMed Research International
· BMC Biology
· BMC Developmental Biology
· Brain Research
· Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research
· Canadian Journal of Animal Science
· Canadian Journal of Zoology
· Central European Journal of Biology
· Chronobiology International
· Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology & Physiology
· Communications Biology
· Computer
· Current Anthropology
· Current Biology
· Ecology Letters
· Ethology
· European Journal of Neuroscience
· European Journal of Pediatrics
· European Journal of Physiology
· Experimental Physiology
· Folia Primatologica
· Food Science and Nutrition
· Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience
· Gene Therapy
· Hawaii Medical Journal
· Hormones and Behavior
· Human Reproduction
· Integrative Physiological and Behavioral Science
· Internat. J. of Environm. Research and Public Health
· Investigación Clínica
· Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science
· Journal of Applied Biomedicine
· Journal of Applied Physiology
· Journal of Biological Rhythms
· Journal of Comparative Physiology
· Journal of Equine Veterinary Science
· Journal of Experimental Biology
· Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology
· Journal of Insect Physiology
· Journal of Physiological Sciences
· Journal of Physiology (London)
· Journal of Sleep Research
· Journal of the Am. Assoc. for Laboratory Animal Sci.
· Journal of Thermal Biology
· Journal of Veterinary Behavior
· Journal of Veterinary Medicine
· Journal of Zoology
· Manuscrito
· Marine Biology
· Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering
· Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing
· Medical Science Monitor
· Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
· Naturwissenschaften
· Neurobiology of Aging
· Neurobiology of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms
· Neuroscience
· Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
· Notes and Records
· Oikos
· Pakistan Journal of Zoology
· Physiological Entomology
· Physiological Research
· Physiology and Behavior
· PLoS One
· Psychiatry Research
· Psychobiology
· Psychological Methods
· Respiratory Physiology and Neurobiology
· Scientific Reports
· Stress
· Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling
· Veterinary Journal
· Zoo Biology
· Zoology
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Dr. Refinetti has served many times as a reviewer for research/education grant
applica- tions submitted to federal funding agencies:
· Ad-hoc reviewer for Division of Integrative Organismal Biology, National Science Foundation, 1995-1997, 1999, 2001, 2004-2010
· Review Panel member, Research Traineeship Program, Division of Graduate Education, National Science Foundation, 2025
· Review Panel member, Integrative Animal Biology, Division of Integrative Organismal Biology, National Science Foundation, 2004
· Ad-hoc reviewer for the Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM, National Science Foundation, 2024
· Ad-hoc reviewer for the South Africa National Research Foundation, 2023
· Ad-hoc reviewer for the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (United Kingdom), 2022, 2023
· Ad-hoc reviewer for the Swiss National Science Foundation, 2019
· Ad-hoc reviewer for the Wellcome Trust (United Kingdom), 2018, 2024
· Ad-hoc reviewer for the Austrian Science Fund, 2018
· Ad-hoc reviewer for the International Foundation for Science, 2016
· Ad-hoc reviewer for the Czech Science Foundation, 2014
· Ad-hoc reviewer for the Israel Science Foundation, 2003, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020
· Ad-hoc reviewer for the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research, 2002, 2006, 2013
· Ad-hoc reviewer for US-Israel Binational Science Foundation, 1997, 2004, 2010
· Review Panel member, Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement Program, Division of Undergraduate Education, National Science Foundation, 1996, 1997
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Dr. Refinetti has served as a consultant for numerous newspaper and television reporters preparing articles or shows such as:
· An article on the synchronization of circadian rhythms for The Transmitter (2024)
· An article on best living with one's chronotype for Psyche (2023)
· An article on circadian rhythms and body temperature for BBC Studios (2023)
· An article on testosterone and gregariousness for Medical News Today (2022)
· An article on polyamory for BBC Website (2021)
· A documentary on publication ethics for Stossel TV (2019)
· A news segment on publication hoaxes for CBC Radio-Canada (2018)
· An article on the impact of US-China trade war on science for Nature (2018)
· A news segment on violence and social media for KTVB NBC News (2018)
· An article on Nobel Prize for circadian rhythm research for The Register (2017)
· An article on multi-day biological rhythms for Quanta Magazine (2016)
· An article on best time of day for work-out for Men's Fitness Magazine (2015)
· An article on waking-up and circadian rhythms for Martha Stewart Living (2015)
· An article on circadian rhythms for Newsweek Special Editions (2014)
· An article on jet-lag prevention for Atlantic Media's Quartz (2014)
· An article on why humans have sex at night for Gizmodo (2013)
· An article on best time of day for working for Wired Magazine (2012)
· An article on resetting the biological clock of one's pet for Men's Health Magazine (2012)
· An article on chronobiology and health for Parents Magazine (2011)
· A documentary on circadian rhythms and hypothetical cataclysmic events for the Science Channel (2010)
· An article on body temperature of dogs for Veterinary Technician (2009)
· An article on circadian rhythms in dogs for Discovery News (2009)
· A general article on human biological rhythms for BBC Horizon (2008)
· An article on the afternoon slump for fitness for Oxygen Magazine (2008)
· An article on lunar cycles and human behavior for The Post and Courier (2007)
· An article on circadian rhythms and the management of personal time for The Independent (2007)
· An article on circadian chronotypes and working mothers for Parenting Magazine (2006)
· An article on shift work and truck drivers for Road King Magazine (2006)
· An article on circadian rhythms and human health for The Baltimore Sun (2005)
· A documentary on alarm clocks for the Discovery Channel U.S. (2005)
· A documentary on circadian rhythms for BBC Radio (2004)
· A documentary on biological rhythms for the Discovery Channel Canada (2004)
· An article on circadian rhythms and romance for Tango Magazine (2004)
· An article on daylight-saving time for the Lansing State Journal (2003)
You can read some of these articles
here.
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© R. Refinetti · www.circadian.org ·
All rights reserved
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