Division of Sleep Medicine @ Harvard Medical School
Faculty Profile
Address
Harvard Medical School, Department of Systems Biology200 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
USA
Phone 617-875-4130
Fax 617-432-5012
Email van_savage@hms.harvard.edu
Research Unit(s)
Fontana Lab
Research Interests
I mathematically formalize the leading hypotheses for the function of sleep and derive the associated predictions for how sleep times vary with body mass and brain mass across species. In this way, I discover whether each hypothesis can account for why a mouse sleeps approximately 14 hours a day, humans approximately 8 hours, and an elephant approximately 3 hours. Hypotheses that cannot explain these patterns across species are viewed as unlikely candidates for being primary determinants for the function of sleep, and presumably they are not evolutionary driving forces behind the necessity of sleep. Our results suggest that sleep is primarily for either neural repair or neural reorganization.
I plan to analyze developmental data for humans and/or mice that show how sleep times and brain size change during ontogeny and to compare that to the phylogenetic (across species) data mentioned above. Moreover, I plan to analyze data for cold-blooded animals and examine whether sleep times depend on body temperature. Using results from these data, I would like to refine the relevant theories for sleep and further discriminate mechanisms of repair (at the molecular, cellular, vascular, or tissue level) and reorganization (for consolidating memories and problem solving or for eliminating memories or for reducing long term potentiation). In this way, I hope to elucidate the processes that are most fundamental for sleep function. In addition, I am eager to study circadian rhythms, how they vary within and across species, and their coupling to sleep times.
I plan to analyze developmental data for humans and/or mice that show how sleep times and brain size change during ontogeny and to compare that to the phylogenetic (across species) data mentioned above. Moreover, I plan to analyze data for cold-blooded animals and examine whether sleep times depend on body temperature. Using results from these data, I would like to refine the relevant theories for sleep and further discriminate mechanisms of repair (at the molecular, cellular, vascular, or tissue level) and reorganization (for consolidating memories and problem solving or for eliminating memories or for reducing long term potentiation). In this way, I hope to elucidate the processes that are most fundamental for sleep function. In addition, I am eager to study circadian rhythms, how they vary within and across species, and their coupling to sleep times.
Research Funding
NSF-Advancing Theory in Biology Grant
“Combining theories for plant architecture, allometry, and traits to develop the next generation of scaling theory”
Role: Co-PI (2008-2010)
NSF-Ecology Grant
“Trait-based approaches for predicting ecosystem response to
environmental change: Empirical tests and model development”
Role: Co-PI (2006-2008)
“Combining theories for plant architecture, allometry, and traits to develop the next generation of scaling theory”
Role: Co-PI (2008-2010)
NSF-Ecology Grant
“Trait-based approaches for predicting ecosystem response to
environmental change: Empirical tests and model development”
Role: Co-PI (2006-2008)
Selected Publications
O'Dwyer JP, Lake JK, Ostling A, Savage VM, Green JL. An integrative framework for stochastic, size-structured community assembly.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Apr 14;106(15):6170-5. Epub 2009 Mar 31. [PMID: 19336583]
Savage VM, Deeds EJ, Fontana W. Sizing up allometric scaling theory.
PLoS Comput Biol. 2008 Sep 12;4(9):e1000171. [PMID: 18787686]
Savage VM, Enquist BJ, West GB. Comment on 'A critical understanding of the fractal model of metabolic scaling'.
J Exp Biol. 2007 Nov;210(Pt 21):3873-4; author reply 3875-6. [PMID: 17951428]
Price CA, Enquist BJ, Savage VM. A general model for allometric covariation in botanical form and function.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Aug 7;104(32):13204-9. Epub 2007 Jul 30. [PMID: 17664421]
Allen AP, Savage VM. Setting the absolute tempo of biodiversity dynamics.
Ecol Lett. 2007 Jul;10(7):637-46. Erratum in: Ecol Lett. 2007 Sep;10(9):866. PubMed PMID: 17542942]
Savage VM, Allen AP, Brown JH, Gillooly JF, Herman AB, Woodruff WH, West GB. Scaling of number, size, and metabolic rate of cells with body size in mammals.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Mar 13;104(11):4718-23. Epub 2007 Mar 1. PubMed PMID: 17360590]
Savage VM, West GB. A quantitative, theoretical framework for understanding mammalian sleep.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Jan 16;104(3):1051-6. Epub 2007 Jan 10. [PMID: 17215372]
Allen AP, Gillooly JF, Savage VM, Brown JH. Kinetic effects of temperature on rates of genetic divergence and speciation.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Jun 13;103(24):9130-5. Epub 2006 Jun 5. [PMID: 16754845]
Savage VM, White EP, Moses ME, Ernest SK, Enquist BJ, Charnov EL. Comment on "The illusion of invariant quantities in life histories".
Science. 2006 Apr 14;312(5771):198; author reply 198. [PMID: 16614200]
Gillooly JF, Allen AP, Brown JH, Elser JJ, Martinez del Rio C, Savage VM, West GB, Woodruff WH, Woods HA. The metabolic basis of whole-organism RNA and phosphorus content.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Aug 16;102(33):11923-7. Epub 2005 Aug 9. [PMID: 16091465]
Cohen JE, Jonsson T, Müller CB, Godfray HC, Savage VM. Body sizes of hosts and parasitoids in individual feeding relationships.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Jan 18;102(3):684-9. Epub 2005 Jan 12. [PMID: 15647346]
Savage VM. Improved approximations to scaling relationships for species, populations, and ecosystems across latitudinal and elevational gradients.
J Theor Biol. 2004 Apr 21;227(4):525-34. [PMID: 15038987]
Savage VM, Gilloly JF, Brown JH, Charnov EL. Effects of body size and temperature on population growth.
Am Nat. 2004 Mar;163(3):429-41. Epub 2004 Mar 9. [PMID: 15026978]
West GB, Savage VM, Gillooly J, Enquist BJ, Woodruff WH, Brown JH. Physiology: Why does metabolic rate scale with body size?
Nature. 2003 Feb 13;421(6924):713; discussion 714. [PMID: 12610614]
Gillooly JF, Charnov EL, West GB, Savage VM, Brown JH. Effects of size and temperature on developmental time.
Nature. 2002 May 2;417(6884):70-3. PubMed PMID: 11986667]
Gillooly JF, Brown JH, West GB, Savage VM, Charnov EL. Effects of size and temperature on metabolic rate.
Science. 2001 Sep 21;293(5538):2248-51. Erratum in: Science 2001 Nov 16;294(5546):1463. [PMID: 11567137]
Reviews
Savage VM, Webb CT, Norberg J. A general multi-trait-based framework for studying the effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning.
J Theor Biol. 2007 Jul 21;247(2):213-29. Epub 2007 Mar 14. Review. [PMID: 17448502]
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Apr 14;106(15):6170-5. Epub 2009 Mar 31. [PMID: 19336583]
Savage VM, Deeds EJ, Fontana W. Sizing up allometric scaling theory.
PLoS Comput Biol. 2008 Sep 12;4(9):e1000171. [PMID: 18787686]
Savage VM, Enquist BJ, West GB. Comment on 'A critical understanding of the fractal model of metabolic scaling'.
J Exp Biol. 2007 Nov;210(Pt 21):3873-4; author reply 3875-6. [PMID: 17951428]
Price CA, Enquist BJ, Savage VM. A general model for allometric covariation in botanical form and function.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Aug 7;104(32):13204-9. Epub 2007 Jul 30. [PMID: 17664421]
Allen AP, Savage VM. Setting the absolute tempo of biodiversity dynamics.
Ecol Lett. 2007 Jul;10(7):637-46. Erratum in: Ecol Lett. 2007 Sep;10(9):866. PubMed PMID: 17542942]
Savage VM, Allen AP, Brown JH, Gillooly JF, Herman AB, Woodruff WH, West GB. Scaling of number, size, and metabolic rate of cells with body size in mammals.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Mar 13;104(11):4718-23. Epub 2007 Mar 1. PubMed PMID: 17360590]
Savage VM, West GB. A quantitative, theoretical framework for understanding mammalian sleep.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Jan 16;104(3):1051-6. Epub 2007 Jan 10. [PMID: 17215372]
Allen AP, Gillooly JF, Savage VM, Brown JH. Kinetic effects of temperature on rates of genetic divergence and speciation.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Jun 13;103(24):9130-5. Epub 2006 Jun 5. [PMID: 16754845]
Savage VM, White EP, Moses ME, Ernest SK, Enquist BJ, Charnov EL. Comment on "The illusion of invariant quantities in life histories".
Science. 2006 Apr 14;312(5771):198; author reply 198. [PMID: 16614200]
Gillooly JF, Allen AP, Brown JH, Elser JJ, Martinez del Rio C, Savage VM, West GB, Woodruff WH, Woods HA. The metabolic basis of whole-organism RNA and phosphorus content.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Aug 16;102(33):11923-7. Epub 2005 Aug 9. [PMID: 16091465]
Cohen JE, Jonsson T, Müller CB, Godfray HC, Savage VM. Body sizes of hosts and parasitoids in individual feeding relationships.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Jan 18;102(3):684-9. Epub 2005 Jan 12. [PMID: 15647346]
Savage VM. Improved approximations to scaling relationships for species, populations, and ecosystems across latitudinal and elevational gradients.
J Theor Biol. 2004 Apr 21;227(4):525-34. [PMID: 15038987]
Savage VM, Gilloly JF, Brown JH, Charnov EL. Effects of body size and temperature on population growth.
Am Nat. 2004 Mar;163(3):429-41. Epub 2004 Mar 9. [PMID: 15026978]
West GB, Savage VM, Gillooly J, Enquist BJ, Woodruff WH, Brown JH. Physiology: Why does metabolic rate scale with body size?
Nature. 2003 Feb 13;421(6924):713; discussion 714. [PMID: 12610614]
Gillooly JF, Charnov EL, West GB, Savage VM, Brown JH. Effects of size and temperature on developmental time.
Nature. 2002 May 2;417(6884):70-3. PubMed PMID: 11986667]
Gillooly JF, Brown JH, West GB, Savage VM, Charnov EL. Effects of size and temperature on metabolic rate.
Science. 2001 Sep 21;293(5538):2248-51. Erratum in: Science 2001 Nov 16;294(5546):1463. [PMID: 11567137]
Reviews
Savage VM, Webb CT, Norberg J. A general multi-trait-based framework for studying the effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning.
J Theor Biol. 2007 Jul 21;247(2):213-29. Epub 2007 Mar 14. Review. [PMID: 17448502]
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