Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the significant contributions of Professor Danyang in the field of sleep research and her recent affiliation with Shenzhen Medical Academy, where she will establish a Sleep and Consciousness Laboratory [1][4]. Group 1: Professor Danyang's Background - Professor Danyang graduated from Peking University with a degree in Physics and later pursued a PhD in Biology at Columbia University, followed by postdoctoral research at Rockefeller University and Harvard Medical School [4]. - She has been a faculty member at the University of California, Berkeley since 1997, focusing on the neural circuits that control sleep and the functions of the prefrontal cortex [4][21]. Group 2: Recent Research Contributions - On December 8, 2023, Professor Danyang's team published a study in Cell, revealing that frontal cortical ignition, related to consciousness awareness, is strongly suppressed during NREM sleep in mice due to cholinergic modulation [7][10]. - On January 18, 2024, a study published in Nature Neuroscience demonstrated that microglia can promote sleep through calcium-dependent modulation of norepinephrine transmission, suggesting a protective role for microglia in brain health [12][13]. - On January 17, 2025, a study in Science Advances explored how activation of locus coeruleus noradrenergic neurons rapidly increases homeostatic sleep pressure, indicating a mechanism for sleep regulation [15][17]. Group 3: Implications for Sleep Research - The findings from Professor Danyang's research suggest that understanding the mechanisms of sleep regulation could have implications for addressing sleep disruptions associated with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's [13]. - The research emphasizes the importance of microglial function in maintaining sleep and brain homeostasis, potentially offering insights into therapeutic strategies for sleep-related disorders [13]. - The studies collectively indicate that the functional fatigue of locus coeruleus neurons may lead to increased sleep pressure, providing a new perspective on the relationship between wakefulness and sleep [17].