Richard Ernest Kronauer

Richard Ernest Kronauer is currently the Gordon McKay Professor of Mechanical Engineering, emeritus, at Harvard University [cite web|url=http://harvardscience.harvard.edu/directory/researchers/richard-e-kronauer|title=Harvard University researcher page] . Though experienced with research in both fluid mechanics and applied mathematics, he is primarily known for his pioneering work in mathematical biology, especially research on human circadian rhythms. Dr. Kronauer's 1982 paper "Mathematical model of the human circadian system with two interacting oscillators" [Am J Physiol 242:R3-R17, 1982] outlined a new method for understanding the biological circuits that underly daily body cycles in variables such as blood pressure or body temperature. Professor Kronauer's research also has direct implications for the causes and possible cures for many types of sleep disorders, and for this he will receive the Farrell Prize in Sleep Medicine in June 2008 [cite web|url=http://sleep.med.harvard.edu/what-we-do/farrell-prize-in-sleep-medicine|title=Farrell Prize in Sleep Medicine] .

Biography

* Born in 1925
* BS in Mechanical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1947
* MS in Mechanical Engineering from Harvard University in 1948
* PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Harvard University in 1951
** Dissertation: "Secondary Flows in Fluid Dynamics", with advisor Howard Wilson Emmons
* Stayed at Harvard after PhD, and eventually named Gordon Mckay professor (some time before 1976)
* Wife Joanne
* As of March 2008, Professor Kronauer is listed as co-inventor on 6 patents for devices relating to circadian rhythm: US Patent Numbers 5163426, 5176133, 5167228, 5304212, 5503637, 5545192.
* Co-inventor for pending patent application 11/113,356, filed Apr 25, 2005.
* Co-inventor for a reciprocating actuator (patent #3312842, 1964) and a fluid operating apparatus (patent #3274795, 1964).

Well known students

*Steven H. Strogatz, PhD, Harvard University, 1986

Frequent Collaborators

Charles A. Czeisler, Charles F. Stromeyer, Alex Chaparro

elected Publications

*RE Kronauer. "Secondary Flows in Fluid Dynamics," "Harvard University Dissertation", 1951.

*TA McMahon and RE Kronauer. "Tree structures: deducing the principle of mechanical design," "J Theor Biol" 59: 443-466, 1976.

*RE Kronauer, CA Czeisler, SF Pilato, MC Moore-Ede and ED Weitzman. "Mathematical model of the human circadian system with two interacting oscillators," "Am J Physiol" 242:R3-R17, 1982.

*CA Czeisler, JS Allan, SH Strogatz, JM Ronda, R Sanchez, CD Rios, WO Freitag, GS Richardson, and RE Kronauer. "Bright light resets the human circadian pacemaker independent of the timing of the sleep-wake cycle," "Science" 233(4764):667-671, August 1986.

*MC Khoo, RE Kronauer, KP Strohl and AS Slutsky. "Factors inducing periodic breathing in humans: a general model," "J App Physiology" 53(3):644-659, 1986.

*CA Czeisler, RE Kronauer, JS Allan, JF Duffy, ME Jewett, EN Brown, and JM Ronda. "Bright light induction of strong (type 0) resetting of the human circadian pacemaker," "Science" 244(4910):1328-1333, 1989.

*DB Boivin, JF Duffy, RE Kronauer, and CA Czeisler. "Dose-response relationships for resetting of human circadian clock by light," "Nature" 379:540-542 (February 1996).

*CA Czeisler, JF Duffy, TL Shanahan, EN Brown, JF Mitchell, DW Rimmer, JM Ronda, EJ Silva, JS Allan, JS Emens, DJ Dijk, and RE Kronauer. "Stability, Precision, and Near-24-Hour Period of the Human Circadian Pacemaker," "Science" 284(5423):2177-2181, 1999.

References