Briana Taylor

Research Assistant Professor

Briana Taylor is a research assistant professor in Life Sciences and Medical Science at the Roux Institute and in the psychology department at Northeastern University. Broadly, Taylor’s research seeks to evaluate the extent to which modifiable features of sleep and the circadian system can be leveraged to improve daytime functioning. Her work emphasizes the importance of sleep/wake rhythm stability and the consequences of misalignment between biological and behavioral rhythms. Taylor’s current work seeks to understand the mechanistic role of circadian phase in challenging daytime behaviors among youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In collaboration with research faculty at the Roux Institute, Taylor seeks to develop a computational sleep science program that utilizes 24-hour ambulatory and passive data collection tools to better understand dynamic associations between bio-behavioral measures of sleep and circadian functioning and mental/physical health outcomes.

Prior to joining the Roux Institute, Taylor was a postdoctoral research fellow and then a faculty scientist at MaineHealth. As a postdoc, Taylor was awarded a Pathway to Independence Award from the NICHD to study circadian phase delay in children and adolescents with ASD.

Taylor earned her PhD in Biological and Health Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. During her doctoral work, Taylor studied the relevance of sleep and circadian rhythms for health and functioning. She is a current member of the Sleep Research Society and the International Society for Autism Research.

Taylor is a Portland, ME native and is thrilled to do what she loves in a place she calls home. When not working or sleeping, Taylor enjoys trying new restaurants and exploring local parks and trails with her family.

Research Overview

Taylor and her team use non-invasive approaches to measure and monitor sleep and circadian functioning via ambulatory and passive biosensors in naturalistic settings. This work serves to increase the scalability and ecological validity of sleep and circadian science and to make this field more accessible to populations that are unable to tolerate traditional, gold-standard sleep and circadian measurement methodologies.

Areas of Expertise

  • Sleep and Circadian Science 
  • Human Subject-Oriented Research Methodology
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Publications

  • Taylor, B.J., Reynolds, C.F., Siegel, M. (2020). Characterization of sleep problems and clinical impairment in hospitalized children with autism spectrum disorder. Autism: International Journal of Research and Practice.
  • Taylor, B.J. & Hasler, B.P. (2018). Chronotype and mental health: Recent advances. Current Psychiatry Reports, 20(8):59.
  • Taylor, B.J., Matthews, K.A., Hasler, B.P., Roecklein, K.A., Kline, C.E., Buysse, D.J., Kravitz, H.M., Tiani, A.G., Harlow, S.D., Hall, M.H. (2016). Bedtime variability and metabolic health in midlife women: The SWAN Sleep Study. Sleep, 39(2): 457-65.
  • Taylor, B.J., Bowman, M.A., Hasler, B.P., Brindle, A., Roecklein, K.A., Krafty, R.T., Matthews, M.H., & Hall, M.H. (2020). Is emotion regulation a mediator of the association between chronotype and alcohol use disorder symptom severity in college students? Chronobiology International.
  • Souders, M.C., Taylor, B.J., Jackson, S.Z. (2020). Sleep problems, In S. White, B. Maddox, & C. Mazefsky, The Oxford Handbook of Co-Occurring Psychiatric Disorders in Autism. ISBN: 9780190910761.
  • Read more on Google Scholar