On May 8, 2025, the Department of Sciences at the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences (FNAS) at Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU) held an international conference on sleep disorders, organized by Dr. Esther Ghanem and Dr. Colette Kabrita. The meeting hosted locally and internationally recognized scientists and clinicians in the fields of sleep and respiratory medicine, psychiatry, clinical psychology, physiology, neurobiology, genomics, and orthodontics. Current students also shared their testimonials in experiencing sleeping troubles and sleep research experience at NDU. The full-day lecture concluded with a live presentation on a Sleep Comfort AI-powered mattress which attendees were able to test and an interactive poster session of 18 presentations evaluated by Dr. Rita Maalouf, Dr. Pauline Aad, Dr. Joanne Choufani, and Dr. Simon Abou Jaoude.
Inaugurating the event, Dr. Kabrita welcomed the audience, promising them “a rich and interdisciplinary perspective on the most pressing yet often overlooked aspects of health and well-being—sleep” and gave the floor to Dr. Roger Nakad, Dean of the FNAS, for his opening remarks. Dr. Nakad thanked the Department’s Chairperson Dr. Rita Maalouf for her ongoing support; the event organizers and the event partners, Sleep comfort and TAPE IT.
The program encompassed the different biological, psychological and clinical dimensions of sleep disorders and was divided into three dynamic sessions:
1. Understanding Sleep Disorders – Etiology, Prevalence & Psychophysiological Aspects
After listing the six categories of sleep disorders among which are insomnia, breathing, and movement disorders, Dr. Kabrita covered the biological, physiological, psychological and behavioral risk factors illustrated by vivid examples of our daily life, like cardiometabolic and immune diseases, anxiety, shift-work and jet lag. She explained the neuroendocrine regulation of the sleep/wake cycle. She then revealed research findings about the global and national (specifically Greater Beirut) prevalence of sleep disorders among different age demographics. She concluded her talk with original findings from a collaborative study she conducted on university students in different parts of Lebanon, which assessed the prevalence of poor sleep quality and investigated how the interaction between biological derterminants and behavioral lifestyle habits could affect sleep constructs, mental health and academic performance. Additionally, she highlighted an ongoing collaborative sleep project with the American
University of Iraq Baghdad which is currently in the data analysis phase.
Next, Dr. Farid Talih, Vice Chair at the Department of Psychiatry, and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) focused on the mental health aspects of sleep disorders, such as depression, suicidal tendencies, and bipolarity, which can be treated through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and CBT for insomnia (CBT-I). He also highlighted the impact of traumas on sleep, giving the example of the Beirut Blast which caused 62% of people to experience insomnia.
Last, Dr. Brigitte Khoury, Adult Clinical Psychologist, Associate Professor at the Department of Psychiatry, AUBMC and president-elect of the International Union of Psychological Science gave a number of evidence-based behavioral treatments of sleep problems like insomnia, an example of which is the four-step cognitive restructuring: identify negative thoughts, challenge those thoughts, replace them with positive ones, and review your progress.
The first session ended with a genuine testimonial by Gaelle Khoury, a 2nd year biochemistry student who personally faced sleep issues and figured out a way into a healthier lifestyle.
2. Biological & Clinical Perspectives on Sleep
In this session, Dr. Joseph Bou Serhal, Adjunct Clinical Professor at Boston University, in collaboration with Dr. Elie Jabbour, Orthodontist and Dental Sleep Medicine expert at the CMC Hospital, Dubai, and Faculty at USJ explored the relationship between orthodontic problems and sleep apnea. This condition is diagnosed thanks to a 3D evaluation of the upper airway while monitoring it using a special device that determines its severity out of four levels, leading to the recommendation of a treatment.
Dr. Lea Urpa, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki joined online next to discuss the genomics of sleep and biological rhythms. Based on findings in the scientific literature, she explained that narcolepsy is a disease triggered by infection, and that 27 genes are involved in insomnia. She concluded by confirming that modern genomic analysis is “a powerful, hypothesis-free window into understanding biological systems like sleep”.
Shedding the light on a less common but equally severe disorder: somniphobia, the fear of falling asleep, Dr. Michel Nawfal, President of the Lebanese Psychological Association then explored its symptoms, causes, impact on one’s daily life, diagnosis and treatment. In a nutshell, a somniphobiac is anxious of losing control while asleep due to previous trauma, nocturnal enuresis, nightmares… among many other factors, translating into panic attacks and resulting in sleep deprivation and weakened immune system. Somniphobia is diagnosed through medical and clinical interviews, and treated by psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy and self-help strategies.
Another speaker joined the forum online next: Dr. Rami Jambeih, MD, a specialist in Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine at Louisville Pulmonary Care (USA), discussed the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), its underdiagnosis in clinical settings, and the mechanisms leading to airway obstruction and increased cardiovascular risks. He also briefly reviewed treatment of OSA including positive airway pressure and surgery. Professor Kyriaki Sidiropoulou, Associate Professor of Neurophysiology at the University of Crete tackled the relationship between sleep, memory and learning. Through a diagram opposing implicit vs. explicit memory, and short-term vs. long-term memory, the professor illustrated where and how information is stored. Consequently, specific neurons are involved during sleep, impacting the consolidation phase of memory.
To conclude this part, Dr. Esther Ghanem, Associate Professor at NDU’s Department of Sciences presented research findings by NDU MSc. Biology alumni students on how sleep regulates immunity and its role in disease susceptibility. NDU alumna Elissar Azzi, currently a Ph.D. candidate at the Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Helsinki finally intervened to share research findings from the NDU laboratory, as well as gave insight as to how sleep research under the supervision of Dr. Colette Kabrita at NDU unexpectedly shaped the pathway toward her current doctorate research in other fields with shared dimensions.
3. AI-based Sleep Technology & Global Strategies
Two biochemistry students, Aya Homsi and Selena Chemaly, introduced the TAPE IT nose tapes, which facilitate airflow by gently opening the nasal passages, thereby reducing dryness in the mouth and nasal congestion. It may also contribute to enhanced jaw alignment and support digestive function. The result is improved breathing, deeper sleep, and increased energy—achieved through a natural, non-invasive method.
Next, representatives from Sleep Comfort Romy Habib and Mohamad Salam.
emphasized that “it’s not about simply sleeping, but also about sleeping right”, introducing AI mattresses which give personalized recommendations for users (based entirely on the person’s sleeping patterns, habits, positions… as well as characteristics, such as weight, height…). NDU students had the chance to participate in a sample “smart test” on the displayed mattress, noting down personal recommendations.
To end the whole day, the following students won the Best Poster Design Award in the competition on AI application design in sleep-related topics:
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First Prize: Carine El Hayek and Nada Al Achi on Fatal Familial Insomnia
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Second Prize: Lucia Nassim and Kevin Kfoury on Sleep Genes and Adolescents Body Clock
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Third Prize: Rakan Alenezi and Robert Zeitoun on DreamGut AI-powered belly band
Whether we are poor or heavy sleepers, this conference definitely shed the light on the fundamental aspects of sleep and its underestimated impact on our physiological and mental health. Similarly to other conferences organized at NDU, the FNAS’ international conference on sleep disorders proved to constructively utilize and advance research, pioneering in presenting theory and practice to all participants.