Kjærby Lab
Our laboratory investigates the intricate relationship between sleep microstructures and memory consolidation processes. Our research aims to uncover novel therapeutic strategies to regulate sleep microstructure and mitigate cognitive decline.
Our laboratory investigates how the arousal system regulates sleep and its role in memory consolidation and cognitive function. Sleep is shaped by slow arousal rhythms that control its phases, yet this system is highly sensitive to stress, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases. We explore how these disruptions affect sleep and memory, aiming to identify biomarkers and develop sleep-targeted therapies to improve brain health.
Infraslow oscillations of norepinephrine during sleep create pockets of spindles essential for memory consolidation. a. During NREM sleep, spindles cluster together on an infraslow time scale. Spindle density is crucial for memory consolidation during sleep. b. Using genetically encoded calcium and neuromodulator indicators, we have demonstrated that the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system is inversely correlated with the infraslow spindle density oscillations and c. plays a causal role as demonstrated by optogenetics. d. In aging and neurodegenerative disorders, locus coeruleus is one of the first regions to degenerate and the initial hyperactivity followed by hypoactivity will affect the infraslow organization of spindles and thereby memory consolidation.
Using in vivo techniques in freely moving mice, we combine EEG/EMG-based sleep monitoring, optogenetics, and neuronal synchronization analyses with learning and memory assessments. Our research focuses on how Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease—both marked by early loss of arousal-promoting neurons—impact memory consolidation during sleep. By identifying early arousal-based biomarkers, we aim to improve early diagnosis of cognitive decline.
Beyond understanding disease mechanisms, we develop therapeutic strategies to restore sleep quality and cognition through both invasive and non-invasive approaches. We also investigate the interplay between the arousal and autonomic systems to uncover new biomarkers and treatment targets. To enhance clinical translation, we collaborate with clinical researchers to align our findings with human sleep disorders and cognitive decline.
Education
2012.03.19 PhD. Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences, UCPH
2007.04.12 M.Sc. (human biology) Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, UCPH
2004.06.30 Bachelor of Science (biology) Faculty of Sciences, UCPH
Professional experience
2025 – now Tenured Associate Professor, Research leader, Department of Neuroscience, UCPH
2023 – 2025 Associate professor. Center for Translational Neuromedicine (CTN), UCPH
2022 – 2025 Group leader. CTN, UCPH
2020 – 2023 Assistant professor. CTN, UCPH
2015 – 2020 Postdoctoral scholar. CTN, UCPH
2012 – 2015 Postdoctoral scholar University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), USA
2008 – 2011 PhD student H. Lundbeck A/S, Valby and UCPH
2008 – 2008 Research scientist, NeuroSearch A/S, Ballerup, Denmark
2007 – 2008 Research assistant, NRU, University Hospital of Copenhagen
2006 – 2007 Master student, NRU, University Hospital of Copenhagen
Leave
Maternity leave: June 2017 - Jan 2018 + Aug 2014 – Dec 2014 + Nov 2011 – Sep 2012
Scientific honors
2022: Member of Lundbeck Foundation Investigator Network (LFIN).
2022: Cover of Nature Neuroscience (August 2022)
Grants
2025 The Causes of Schizophrenia: Immunology and Genetics Network (120.000 DKK, PI)
2024 Lundbeck Foundation (LF) Seed Grants (LFIN) (2x 150.000 DKK, PI + co-PI)
2024 LF Visiting Professor Grant (160.000 DKK, PI)
2023 LF Seed Grants (LFIN) (2x 150.000 DKK, co-PI)
2023 LF Fellow (10 mio DKK, PI)
2022 Inge Lehmann grant, Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF) (2.8 mio DKK, PI)
2019 Research proposal 1, DFF (2 mio DKK) (co-applicant)
2017 Research proposal 1, DFF (2 mio DKK) (co-applicant)
2017 Velux Foundation (2 mio DKK, main applicant)
2016 Postdoctoral fellowship, Augustinus Foundation (300.000 DKK, main applicant)
2012 Travel grant, LF (25.000 DKK, main applicant)
2011 Postdoctoral Fellowship, LF (1.8 mio DKK, main applicant)
Invited speaker (last 5 years)
- Annual International REM Sleep Behavior Disorder Study Group (IRBDSG) Meeting, May 22-24, Groningen, Netherlands (keynote)
- German Neuroscience Society (NWG) 2025, March 26-29 2025, Göttingen, Germany.
- Society for Neuroscience Meeting 2024, Oct 5-9, 2024, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
- Gordon Research Conference - Sleep Regulation and Function. March 3-8 2024, Texas, US.
- Swiss Society for Sleep Research, March 30 – April 1, 2022, Lucerne, Switzerland.
- Sleep 2022. World Sleep Congress, March 11-16, 2022, Rome, Italy.
- Danish Sleep Research Day, November 22, 2021, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Brain States and Beyond, Oct 13-14, 2021, DGI byen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Society for Neuroscience Meeting 2019, Oct 19-23, 2019, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Organization of symposia/conferences
Jan 2024 Part of the organizing committee for Nordic Neuroscience meeting 2024
Maj 2022 Organizer of EBRAINS Young Researchers Event 2022 at Panum Institute.
2016 – 2023 Initiator and organizer of the monthly neuroscience forum at UCPH: DIM the Brain
Teaching and leadership courses
2025: Mentor in the REFRESH mentorship program
2023-25: LF Leadership development program for Fellows
2023-24: Universitetspædagogikum
2023: Research Project Management & Leadership Course, UCPH
2010: Introduction to University Pedagogy, UCPH
Course organizer
2022 - now: 2-day PhD course at graduate school at UCPH:
Behavioral testing in rodents: there's more than meets the eye
Journal Editor and Reviewer
2023: Member of editorial board of Frontiers in Neural Circuits
Reviewer: Nature Neuroscience, Nature (contributor), Neuron (contributor), Scientific Reports, Behavioural Brain Research, Journal of Neuroscience (contributor), Brain Research, Sleep.
Public outreach
2025: Neuroscience Awareness Week (public lecture)
2025: Folkeuniversitetet (2x 2 h lecture)
2023: Kulturnatten
2023: Hearts & Minds festival, Aarhus (public lecture)
2023: Bloom festival, Copenhagen (panel debate)
2023: Neuroscience Awareness Week (public lecture)
2022: Interview by LF, UCPH, WebMD and Illustreret Videnskab
2022: Forskningens Døgn (public lectures).
2022: Science and Beers (public lecture)
We mainly perform in vivo measurements in freely moving mice. Our techniques are centered around EEG/EMG-based sleep measurements combined with the expression of genetically encoded fluorescent indicators and optogenetic manipulations. We focus on learning and memory tasks to assess the memory consolidating potential of sleep. Furthermore, we look at neuronal synchronization and autonomous markers using EEG- and LFP recordings.
Publication list for Celia Kjærby (Google Scholar)
Lab members
| Name | Title | Job responsibilities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search in Name | Search in Title | Search in Job responsibilities | |
| Anastasia Tsopanidou | PhD Fellow | Division of Sleep-Arousal State Transitions |
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| Celia Kjærby | Associate Professor | Division of Sleep-Arousal State Transitions |
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| Julia Johanna Berger | PhD Fellow | Division of Sleep-Arousal State Transitions |
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| Katia Soud | Postdoc | Division of Sleep-Arousal State Transitions |
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| Klaudia Anna Tokarska | PhD Fellow | Division of Sleep-Arousal State Transitions |
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| Mie Andersen | Postdoc | Division of Sleep-Arousal State Transitions |
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| Sofie Smith Jacobsen | Research Assistant | Division of Sleep-Arousal State Transitions |
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