Aspro. Karine Scheuermaier

Karine Scheuermaier is a researcher in sleep and circadian science whose work bridges chronobiology, cardiometabolic health, and infectious disease in African contexts. Her studies combine controlled laboratory protocols with community-based cohort research, advancing understanding of endogenous circadian rhythms, including hormonal and lipid regulation, and their modification by aging and sleep disruption.

A significant strand of her research focuses on adolescent sleep health in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly rural–urban disparities in Nigeria. Using actigraphy, validated questionnaires, and epidemiological methods, she highlights insufficient sleep, social determinants of sleep quality, and links to mental and cardiometabolic risk, informing context-specific public health interventions.

Through leadership in the Ndlovu Cohort Study in South Africa, she has also examined the interplay between HIV, antiretroviral therapy, stigma, depression, diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular risk. Her work emphasizes longitudinal modeling and translational relevance, clarifying how classic risk factors and treatment adherence shape long-term outcomes in people living with HIV.