Current Research and Role of Medicinal Cannabis in Sleep Disorders

Dr Jen Walsh, Director of the Centre for Sleep Science at the University of Western Australia, is a pivotal figure in sleep physiology research. She leads the sleep physiology research team at the West Australian Sleep Disorders Institute at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. With a diverse background in exercise, environmental, vascular endothelial and sleep physiology, she has concentrated her career on investigating the causes of, and treatments for, sleep disorders, including obstructive sleep apnoea and insomnia, for the past 20 years.

Since 2009, she has been instrumental in developing and teaching post-graduate courses in sleep science and dental sleep medicine at UWA, contributing to the training of nearly 200 professionals in this area. A board member of the Australasian Sleep Association, she's also an active member of the Australian Sleep Health Foundation. Dr Walsh’s research includes exploring the use of medicinal cannabis for the treatment of sleep disorders since 2016.