2008 Farrell Prize recipient: Alexander A. Borbély, MD

Alexander A. Borbély, MD
Professor of Pharmacology
Medical Faculty at University of Zurich, Switzerland

Awarded in celebration of the life and work of Alexander A. Borbély, who gave us a marked pathway in the journey through the night of sleep and its dialectic of circadian and homeostatic influences.

  • His inspired creation of a mathematical model of sleep and wakefulness has influenced and shaped the entire field. This two process model of sleep regulation has enlightened successive waves of students and researchers and prodded them to understand its dynamics and to delve into its biology. This vision has become a bedrock of our field.
  • Pioneer in pointing to use-dependent regulation of sleep and the importance of local activity.
  • Sharing his vision with the book, Secrets of Sleep, led the lay public to discover a new light on sleep, dreams and sleep disorders in its translation into 10 languages.
  • Generative mentor of a succession of talented students who have made important contributions to sleep science and sleep medicine.
  • Enlightened administrator of research.
Alexander A. Borbély, MD

Harvard Medical School
Division of Sleep Medicine
2008

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