Joyce D. Kales

Biography

Dr. Kales received his BS degree in 1956 with Highest Distinction (Phi Beta Kappa) and MD in 1959 both from Wayne State University. In 1962, he founded the Sleep Disorders Clinic and Sleep Laboratory at UCLA, the first clinically integrated sleep program in the world. From 1963 to 1971, he advanced from Instructor to full Professor at UCLA. In 1971, he became the founding Chair of Psychiatry at Penn State University College of Medicine, and served as Chairman for almost three decades (1971 to 1998). During this time, his department was internationally recognized in Sleep Research, Psychiatric Education and Community Psychiatry. He retired as Professor Emeritus at Penn State with an endowed chair in Sleep Disorders Medicine named in his honor.

Dr. Kales has authored/co-authored over 300 scientific articles and book chapters and six books. In Sleep Research, he co-authored a manual of Standardized Terminology, Techniques and Scoring System for Sleep Stages of Human Subjects, which remains the most widely referenced publication in sleep research. Dr. Kales innovated the systematic study of the biopsychosocial and behavioral correlates of sleep disorders including insomnia, sleepwalking and night terrors, narcolepsy/cataplexy, and sleep apnea. In addition, he pioneered the use of the sleep laboratory to evaluate comprehensively the efficacy and safety of hypnotic drugs.

In 2003, Dr. Kales was honored by the Sleep Research Society as one of a small select group of scientists recognized as the Founders of Modern Sleep Research. Notably, he is one of only several founders of the new specialty of Sleep Disorders Medicine. Some of his other honors include: Distinguished Alumnus Award from Wayne State University School of Medicine; Distinguished Physician of the Year from the New York Hellenic Medical Society, and an Honorary Doctorate degree from the University of Athens School of Medicine.