General Session
The 2027 Dudrick Research Symposium has been planned by the 2026 Stanley J. Dudrick Research Scholar Award winner, Hassan Dashti, PhD, RD, FASPEN, FASN, Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.
The circadian system is the body’s internal clock network that generates 24-hour rhythms, known as circadian rhythms, and regulates aspects of human physiology and behavior, including sleep, metabolism, and hormone secretion. The field of circadian medicine aims to improve clinical diagnosis and disease treatment and prevention by exploiting mechanisms of circadian physiology. A priority of circadian medicine is optimizing the timing of drug delivery and nutrition support to align with circadian rhythms. However, the timing of nutrition delivery remains largely overlooked in clinical practice, both in hospital and home settings.
This symposium will trace the emerging field of circadian medicine from its biological and clinical foundations to research demonstrating that when nutrients are delivered may influence glucose regulation, sleep, recovery, and patient experience. Speakers will illustrate how these principles can be translated into hospital and home nutrition-support practice, including the implementation of daytime-restricted feedings and individualized infusion schedules that protect circadian and sleep health while maintaining safe and adequate nutrition. By the end of the session, clinicians and researchers will gain a practical framework for considering biological timing as a component of patient-centered nutrition therapy and an understanding of future directions in the field.
Date & Time:
February 16, 2027
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM CT
Format:
In Person & Virtual
CE Credits:
1.5 Hours
UAN: JA0002345-0000-27-032-L99-P
Course Level:
Advanced
What You'll Learn
- Summarize the fundamentals of chronobiology, circadian entrainment, and health consequences when the circadian system gets chronically challenged, such as during critical illness or when eating during the night.
- Evaluate current evidence linking the timing of oral, enteral, and parenteral nutrition with glucose regulation, sleep, and other patient-centered outcomes.
- Identify clinical, operational, and patient-specific factors that should be considered when selecting the timing and duration of nutrition-support regimens.
- Apply practical strategies for incorporating circadian and sleep considerations into hospital and home nutrition support plans while maintaining nutrition adequacy and safety.
Topics & Presenters
Biological Foundations in Circadian Medicine
Benjamin and Virginia Boshes Professor
Department of Neurology, Northwestern University
Director
Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine, Northwestern University
Building the Evidence for Circadian Timing in Medical Nutrition Therapy
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology, Massachusetts General Hospital
Liberalizing Feeding Schedules in Critical Care
Senior Clinical Nutrition Specialist
R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland Medical Center
Individualizing the Timing of Home Nutrition Support
Nutrition Therapy Specialist
Good Nutrition for Good Living
Moderators:
Hassan Dashti
PhD, RD, FASPEN, FASNAssistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology, Massachusetts General Hospital