Dr. Aric Prather is an associate professor in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and the director of the UCSF Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program. His research focuses on the inter-relationship between psychological stress and sleep as dynamic predictors of physical and mental health. His research utilizes epidemiologic, naturalistic, and laboratory based studies to understand the extent to which sleep disturbance serves as a critical behavioral pathway to poor health. With specialized training in psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), he primarily focuses on immune outcomes implicated in infectious disease, inflammatory conditions, and accelerated immunosenescence. He is also a licensed clinical-health psychologist who specializes in treating Insomnia Disorder using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).