Sleep Research Chair - Universidad Europea, Quirónsalud Group and Exeltis
Sleep Research Chair
The Sleep Research Chair between Universidad Europea de Valencia, Quirónsalud Group and Exeltis was created in April 2023. Its objectives are to promote research activities in the field of sleep disorders, train researchers by supporting doctoral students in PhD programmes related to the Chair's scope of research, and to develop joint training and research development activities aimed at improving the prevention and treatment of sleep disorders, seeking practical results that can be directly applied.
It carries out typical research chair activities:
- Training
- Outreach
- Research
Direction
Dra. Silvia Trujillo
Universidad Europea
1st Sleep Research Chair Conference
On 25 April 2024, the 1st Sleep Research Chair Conference took place, an event that brought together experts in the field to explore and discuss the latest challenges and advances in sleep and its related disorders. The conference was hosted by Dr Clara López, Head of the Department of Psychology at Universidad Europea de Valencia. Silvia Trujillo, co-director of the Chair, opened the conference with a lecture that provided a comprehensive overview of the prevalence, trends and public health implications of these disorders, giving a fundamental understanding of the extent of the problem and its impact on society. Following the lecture, two expert panels were held, each addressing specific, interdisciplinary aspects of sleep disorders:a magnitud del problema y su impacto en la sociedad. Posteriormente, se llevaron a cabo dos paneles de expertos, cada uno abordando aspectos específicos e interdisciplinarios de los trastornos del sueño:
Autism and Sleep
Experts in neurodevelopment and sleep shared recent research, clinical perspectives and intervention strategies to improve sleep quality in people with autism.
Digestive Diseases, Mental Health and Otorhinolaryngology
Experts explored how these areas interconnect with sleep disorders. They discussed the implications of gastrointestinal problems, psychiatric disorders and ENT conditions on the quality and pattern of sleep, as well as on patients’ overall health.
This conference offered a vital platform for knowledge exchange, interdisciplinary collaboration and the promotion of best practices in the field of sleep and sleep disorders.
2nd Sleep Research Chair Conference
On 31 March 2025, in collaboration with its partners Exeltis and Quirónsalud, Universidad Europea de Valencia hosted the 2nd Sleep Research Chair Conference.
The conference was backed by the Valencian Society of Palliative Medicine, and brought together experts to explore and discuss the most recent challenges and advances related to the Integrated Approach to Palliative Care in the Paediatric Population.
At the second conference, leading figures such as Dr Verónica Puertas, Paediatrician and Deputy of the Paediatric Palliative Care Unit at Niño Jesús Hospital in Madrid; Dr Andrés Piolatti, Paediatrician and Deputy of the Home Hospitalisation and Paediatric Palliative Care Unit at Valencia University Clinical Hospital; Dr Lucía Monfort, Paediatrician and Assistant in Neuropaediatrics at Valencia University Clinical Hospital and Hospital Quirón Valencia; Teresa Cantavella, Nurse in the Home Hospitalisation and Paediatric Palliative Care Unit at Valencia University Clinical Hospital; Olivia Prades, Speech Therapist specialising in Paediatric and Neonatal Swallowing at the Mi Peque No Come (My Little One Won’t Eat) Centre, as well as the generously provided accounts of some families.
Activities of the Chair
- Activity of the 2025 Chair
- Activity of the 2024 Chair
- Activity of the 2023 Chair
On 30 January 2025, the Sleep Research Chair held the 7th Webinar, a session that focused on exploring the relationship between ENT conditions and sleep disorders. The event featured Dr Carlos O'Connor: Otorhinolaryngologist specialising in respiratory sleep disorders, such as snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea, at Hospital Quironsalud Marbella; and Dr Teresa de La Calle: Paediatrician at Salamanca Hospital, member of the SEPEAP Sleep Group and of the AEP Sleep and Chronobiology Group.
On 26 June 2025, the Sleep Research Chair held the 8th Webinar, a session designed for health professionals, students and anyone interested in understanding the many aspects of cancer in the paediatric population. Dr Jaime Verdú, from the Paediatric Hematology-Oncology Unit at Valencia University Clinical Hospital, gave us an overview of the incidence, risk factors and current therapeutic strategies in paediatric oncology. The event also featured Inés García, Neuropsychologist at Fundación Hospitalarias Valencia, who spoke to us about the long-term cognitive and emotional effects of cancer and cancer treatment on child development. And finally, Dr Óscar Sans Capdevila, Neurophysiologist from the Sleep Unit at Sant Joan de Déu Hospital in Barcelona, who emphasised the importance of sleep in the recovery and quality of life for paediatric cancer patients.
On 25 January 2024, the 2nd Webinar was held, with the attendance of Dr Óscar Sans Capdevila, board member of the Spanish Sleep Society and European expert in sleep medicine at the European Sleep Society, and Mar García Sánchez, Educational Therapist and member of the Quirónsalud Valencia Comprehensive Paediatrics Unit.
On 7 March 2024, the 3rd Webinar had the pleasure of welcoming Dr Juan Antonio Madrid Pérez, Professor of the Department of Physiology at the University of Murcia and expert in Chronobiology, and Dr Javier Puertas, Neurophysiologist and Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Catholic University of Valencia.
On 27 June 2024, the 4th Webinar was held. Research on sleep disorders has evidenced the impact they have on people’s cognitive and functional capacity, as well as on the social aspect of the quality of life in terms of health. Therefore, we addressed the scientific evidence relating to both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment of sleep disorders in paediatric and adult patients, with the help of Dr Ana Pérez Villena, Paediatric Neurologist at Hospital Ramón y Cajal and Dr. Karol Uscamaita, Neurology Specialist at Sagrat Cor University Hospital.
On 2 October 2024, the 5th Webinar was held. Respiratory disease, so prevalent in paediatrics, leads to numerous visits to the emergency department and health centres. While some of these conditions improve over time, many become chronic health problems that children must deal with throughout their lives, from infancy to adulthood. In the Chair’s 5th Webinar, we heard from specialists in respiratory and sleep disorders and welcomed the perspective of patients' relatives.
On 28 November, the 6th Webinar was held to discuss psychiatric and neurological disorders and their relationship with sleep disorders. We had the opportunity to welcome renowned experts who addressed the relationship between sleep and neurological disorders such as epilepsy, among others, as well as their relationship with anxiety and depression. The understanding of these disorders from the perspective of families and patients themselves also played an important role.
On 24 October 2023, the Chair launched its outreach activities, during which we heard from Dr Milagros Merino, President of the Spanish Sleep Society and Dr Gonzalo Pin, Paediatrician, member of the Sleep and Chronobiology Group of the Spanish Paediatric Association.
Collaborating Partners of the Chair:
Exeltis
Exeltis is part of Insud Pharma, a group with more than 45 years of history and 9,000 professionals worldwide. Exeltis is active in more than 40 countries, with more than 4,000 employees and a global manufacturing network. Exeltis has a well-established position in the field of the central nervous system, aiming to improve the quality of life and well-being of patients with psychiatric and neurological disorders.
Quironsalud
Quirónsalud's mission is to care for people's health and wellbeing by providing them with top quality healthcare services, with a special focus on patient safety. It has a wide network of modern hospitals and health centres with advanced technology in diagnosis and treatment. They see great importance and value in teaching and research work, seeking to share the results of medical advances with society as a whole.