The overarching goal of my research is to help prevent chronic diseases in later life, by focusing on energetic behaviors (sleep, diet, and physical activity) and their impact on body composition during growth and development. 

My lab includes the Unit for Energetic Behavior Research that conducts multidisciplinary epidemiological studies, using sensors to measure locomotor activity, advanced imaging to measure body composition, detailed nutritional assessment to measure energy intake and dietary behavior, geospatial methods to measure the neighborhood environment, and DNA collection for gene-behavior interaction analyses. In addition, my lab’s Unit for Optimizing Behavioral Interventions uses the Multiphase Optimization Strategy framework to design digital interventions to improve energetic behavior profiles in childhood.

BSc (Hons), University of Glasgow, Physiology, 2004

MSc, University of Glasgow, Physiology, 2006

PhD, University of South Carolina, 2011

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Co-Director, Digital Health Innovation Core, Center for Human Phenomic Science, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Member, Metabolism, Nutrition and Physical Development Research Affinity Group, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Member, Mobile Health Research Affinity Group, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Faculty Member, Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, University of Pennsylvania
Member, Resource Review Committee, Center for Human Phenomic Science, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Member, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
Core Faculty Member, Center for Pediatric and Clinical Effectiveness, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
2023-present, Associate Editor, Sleep Health
2020-2021, Healthcare Work Group for the Physical Activity and Health Innovation Collaborative, of the Roundtable on Obesity Solutions at the National Academies
2021, Chair of the “Pediatrics Physical Activity Vital Sign Expert Panel” for the Healthcare Work Group for the Physical Activity and Health Innovation Collaborative, of the Roundtable on Obesity Solutions at the National Academies
2020-present, Society of Behavioral Medicine
2020-present, Sleep Research Society
2020-present, American Academy of Sleep Medicine
2015-present, American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
2007-present, American College of Sports Medicine
2018-2021, Chair of the "Exercise is Medicine" Pediatrics Advisory Group
2017-present, Member of the "Exercise is Medicine" Pediatrics Advisory Group

Michael L. Pollock Student Scholarship from the American College of Sports Medicine, 2010

Ruth L. Kirschstein Individual National Research Service Award (F32) from the NIH/NCI, 2011-2014

New Investigator Award from the American Society of Preventive Oncology, 2012

Young Investigator Award from the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2014

Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01) from the NIH/NHLBI, 2015-2020

John Haddad Young Investigator Award from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, 2016

New Investigator Award from the American College of Sports Medicine, 2017

Rising Star Award from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, 2017

Effects of Sleep on Bone Density and Strength in Adolescence: A Prospective Longitudinal Study
NIH/NICHD (R01 HD100421-01)
2020-2025
The objective is to determine if sleep duration, timing and quality associate with changes in bone density and strength in early adolescence (ages 12-15y).
PI: Jonathan Mitchell

Sleep Extension and Enhancement Possibilities in Youth 2.0 (SLEEPY 2.0)
NIH/NICHD, R01HD108243-01
2022-2027

The objective of this study is to engineer a mobile health platform for the pediatric care setting to promote longer sleep duration for childhood obesity prevention. Our central hypothesis is that we will identify an optimal set of intervention components to increase sleep duration and prevent excess weight gain, with equitable effectiveness across sociodemographic backgrounds.

GoogleScholar Publication List