Behind the Science Seminar Series
 

30 July 2026 | 12:00 - 13:00
Training & Conference Room, IDM Building

Register

Speaker:
A/Prof Dale Rae

  • Deputy Head of Division: Division of Physiological Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UCT
  • Member: Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport Research Centre
  • Member: Neuroscience Institute
  • Director: Sleep Science

Dr Rae is an Associate Professor in the Division of Physiological Sciences within the Department of Human Biology, and the the Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town (UCT). She holds a PhD from UCT (2007) and is a C2 rated scientist (South African National Research Foundation). Her research focuses on sleep and circadian rhythms, and she is especially interested in how sleep is associated with physical health (obesity, cardiometabolic diseases, HIV), mental health (depression and anxiety) and performance (workplace and athletic), spanning adolescents to older adults, living in urban and rural settings. She currently leads six local research projects, and is a co-investigator on an international study (Sleep CHAMPzzz) funded by the Wellcome Trust investigating sleep, circadian rhythms and mental health in adolescents.

Dr Rae is actively involved in the sleep community in South Africa and is a Board Member of the newly formed South African Society for Sleep and Health. She is also passionate about making her research meaningful for the public. To this end, she is the current Director of UCT’s spin-off company, Sleep Science, whose vision is ‘thriving people through healthy sleep’. Sleep Science enables Rae and her team to put into practice what they learn from research through offering services to the public to help people assess and optimise their sleep, as well as offering various sleep education platforms such as talks, workshops and courses.

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