UCSD - University of California - San Diego

02/02/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/02/2026 10:07

Sonia Ancoli-Israel Selected as the 2026 Scientist of the Year by ARCS San Diego

Published Date

February 02, 2026

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Sonia Ancoli-Israel, PhD, professor emeritus of psychiatry at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, has been named the 2026 Scientist of the Year by the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation San Diego Chapter. An internationally recognized sleep disorder and circadian rhythm expert, Ancoli-Israel will be honored at an ARCS ceremony in May 2026.

"Dr. Sonia Ancoli-Israel is an exceptional choice for Scientist of the Year," said Leslie Bruce, president of ARCS San Diego. "A world-renowned leader in sleep and circadian rhythm research, her work has significantly advanced our understanding of sleep disorders, aging, and cancer, with meaningful improvements in patient care. Her record of scientific excellence, mentorship and dedication to advancing research reflects the core values and mission of ARCS Foundation, making her a highly deserving honoree."

Sonia Ancoli-Israel, PhD

Founded in 1985, ARCS San Diego is a women-led nonprofit that fuels scientific advancement in STEM by awarding unrestricted fellowships to the nation's most promising graduate scholars. One of 15 ARCS chapters across the country, the San Diego chapter has contributed more than $13.3 million to support graduate students at UC San Diego, San Diego State University, the University of San Diego and Scripps Research.

"It is such an incredible honor to be chosen for this award. My work has focused on improving the quality of life for people and this award speaks to the impact I've had without even realizing it," said Ancoli-Israel. "I have been honored with major awards in my field, but to be recognized outside of my field is so rewarding. It is an amazing feeling."

Ancoli-Israel earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the State University of New York, Stony Brook, a Master of Arts in Psychology from California State University, Long Beach and a PhD in Psychology from UCSF. She joined the faculty at UC San Diego School of Medicine in 1979. Throughout her career spanning more than four decades, she led groundbreaking studies examining the impact of sleep and circadian rhythms on aging, neurodegenerative disease and cancer. She is the author of more than 575 peer reviewed papers, and as of January 2026 her publications have been cited more than 96,000 times.

Ancoli-Israel was among the first to document the high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and periodic limb movements in sleep among older adults-findings later confirmed by large epidemiologic studies. Her results also showed that OSA was an extremely significant risk factor for mortality, especially in elderly women. Wanting to have a deeper understanding of sleep issues among this population, she led innovative light therapy trials demonstrating that increased light exposure could delay circadian rhythms and improve activity levels for nursing home residents, even if nighttime sleep duration did not change.

Building upon her aging work, Ancoli-Israel's research also explored the impact of sleep apnea in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. She conducted the first randomized, double-blind Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) trial in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, showing that CPAP modestly improved cognition, sleep architecture and daytime alertness, and that sustained CPAP use slowed disease progression. Parallel work in Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia further broadened her impact on sleep-related aspects of neurodegeneration.

Ancoli-Israel and colleague, Jerome Siegel, standing behind the four founders of the field of sleep research (from left) Michel Jouvet, William Dement, Nathaniel Kleitman and Eugene Aserinksy in 1995.

Ancoli-Israel also pioneered the integration of sleep, fatigue and circadian rhythm assessments into breast cancer care. She demonstrated that bright morning light could help reduce the impact of the significant sleep disturbance and fatigue women often experience while undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Her longitudinal studies showed that disrupted circadian rhythms predicted long-term cognitive decline, often referred to as "chemo brain" or "brain fog." These findings suggested that circadian-targeted interventions might mitigate these effects.

An active member of several national organizations, Ancoli-Israel is past president of the Sleep Research Society (SRS), past president of the Society for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms and was on the founding executive board of the National Sleep Foundation. She received many awards throughout her career including the National Sleep Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, the SRS Mary A. Carskadon Outstanding Educator Award, the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine Distinguished Career Award, the SRS Distinguished Scientist Award and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine William C. Dement Academic Achievement Award.

"Dr. Sonia Ancoli-Israel is one of the department's most influential and accomplished scientists," said Zafiris J. Daskalakis, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry, department chair and the Dr. Igor and JoAnn Grant Endowed Chair in Psychiatry. "Her work fundamentally shaped the field of sleep and circadian science, elevating the department's national and international reputationand served as a model of rigorous, clinically meaningful research. She was also a generous mentor and colleague whose impact on trainees and faculty continues to be felt across the department."

Ancoli-Israel retired in 2012 and now enjoys spending time with her family as well as traveling the world and taking photos.

Although she is incredibly proud of her research achievements throughout her career, Ancoli-Israel says that her greatest legacy is her students. A passionate mentor and educator, she said, "In academia, we are continuously learning, acquiring wisdom and creating new knowledge. One of the best ways I learned was from my students. I am so fortunate to have worked with so many wonderful graduate students. They were an integral part of my research, and many have become leaders and mentors in the field of sleep."

For students and early career researchers, she offers the following advice. "Be passionate about what you're doing. Research is not easy these days. Don't give up when your grants aren't funded and papers aren't accepted. If you keep trying and keep going, it will happen. Also, you should collaborate with as many people as you can. My work is so highly cited because of the collaborations I built throughout my career. Work with people across your institution and around the world. Find colleagues who want to do interesting and exciting work with you."

Ancoli-Israel (center, with flowers) had a long-standing tradition of treating her current and former students to dinner after their annual sleep meeting. The year before she retired, her students turned the tables and took her to a surprise dinner after their annual conference.

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