Abdelnaby Khalyfa, M.Sc., Ph.D.

Professor, Marshall University

Research Interest

Abdelnaby Khalyfa, M.Sc., Ph.D, is an internationally recognized authority in sleep research, specializing in the metabolic and genetic consequences of sleep disorders across murine models and human populations. His groundbreaking work has illuminated the intricate mechanisms underlying obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), with a particular focus on its impacts on pediatric and adult populations.

Dr. Khalyfa's research has been pivotal in identifying critical associations between OSA and genetic disruptions that drive inflammation, organ dysfunction, and metabolic imbalances. By employing experimental paradigms such as intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation—core physiological features of OSA—his studies have advanced our understanding of the molecular and systemic effects of sleep disturbances.

A trailblazer in the field, Dr. Khalyfa was the first to demonstrate the profound effects of maternal sleep disruption during pregnancy on offspring, revealing how these disturbances predispose future generations to metabolic dysfunction and other health challenges. His innovative work has also extended to extracellular vesicles (exosomes), shedding light on their ability to modulate cell phenotypes in disease states and providing new perspectives on cellular communication in the context of sleep disorders.

Dr. Khalyfa is at the forefront of efforts to identify biological and genetic markers in children and adults with sleep disorders. His lab utilizes cutting-edge techniques such as exosome profiling, gut microbiome analysis, and single-cell sequencing to predict the onset of chronic conditions, including obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and aging. These advancements pave the way for personalized diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies, with the potential to significantly improve outcomes for individuals affected by sleep disorders.

Research Focus

Dr. Khalyfa’s lab focus on three major areas:

1. Sleep Apnea and Aging
2. Sleep Apnea and Metabolic Dysfunction
3. Sleep, Gut Microbiota, and Exosomes in Aging and Metabolic Dysfunction

Automated Sleep Apnea Systems for Animal and Cell Culture Models

We developed fully automated systems to model sleep apnea in both murine and cell culture models. These systems precisely control oxygen and nitrogen delivery and operate continuously, 24 hours a day, year-round, ensuring stable and reproducible hypoxia–reoxygenation cycles with minimal manual intervention. In addition, the platform includes automated sleep fragmentation (SF) and sleep deprivation (SD) modules and can combine sleep fragmentation with intermittent hypoxia (IH) to more accurately mimic sleep apnea in long-term, large-scale experimental studies.

• Sleep apnea is affecting 1 billion people globally and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common form of sleep apnea.

• OSA is characterized by recurring upper airway obstruction events during sleep which leads to increase respiratory effort, intermittent hypoxemia, periods of elevated blood carbon dioxide levels, autonomic surges, and episodic arousals that cause sleep fragmentation.

• OSA is a highly prevalent condition that is associated with accelerated biological aging and multiple end-organ morbidities. 

• OSA is associated with cardiovascular, metabolic and neurological systems dysfunction.

• OSA can induce cognitive and behavioral and mood deficits.