Title: Lorry Lokey Business Wire Professor of Biology and Human Biology
Company: Stanford University
Location: Stanford, California, United States
H. Craig Heller, PhD, Lorry Lokey Business Wire Professor of Biology and Human Biology at Stanford University, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in Higher Education.
Dr. Heller, lauded for his distinguished tenure in higher education, is a longtime faculty member at Stanford University in Stanford, California, where he has served as a professor of biological sciences since 1983. Besides lecturing on campus, he conducts research in his field, participates in committee work and handles various departmental responsibilities. Dr. Heller’s success and longevity in academia can be attributed to his passion and expertise in several areas of the field, such as thermoregulation, circadian rhythms and the neurobiology of sleep.
During his tenure on Stanford’s campus, Dr. Heller taught as a professor and director of human biology from 1985 to 1992 and chaired the biology department between 1997 and 2001. He began working at the university in 1972 as an assistant professor of biological sciences and quickly advanced to associate professor in 1977 and full professor in 1983.
Dr. Heller began his career at the prestigious Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1965 while pursuing his doctorate. He worked as a graduate student and teaching fellow in the biology department. Subsequently, Dr. Heller became a biology instructor in 1969, where he remained until 1970.
In preparation for his career in the sciences, Dr. Heller obtained a Bachelor of Science in biology from Ursinus College in 1965. Upon being accepted to Yale University, he earned a Master of Philosophy in 1968 and a Doctor of Philosophy in biology in 1970. Additional educational pursuits to Dr. Heller’s credit included a postdoctoral fellowship from Scripps Institute of Oceanography in La Jolla, California, between 1970 and 1972.
Active in his professional community, Dr. Heller is recognized as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He also gives back to various community initiatives, particularly those that support Down syndrome, and through participation with the Open Medicine Foundation, a charitable organization comprised of world-renowned scientists who study, diagnose, treat and cure complex diseases.
As a seasoned scholar, Dr. Heller has contributed numerous articles to scholarly publications, papers and presentations in his area of expertise. He also co-authored “Principles of Life” via W. H. Freeman and Company in 2012 and co-authored numerous editions of “Life: The Science of Biology” via Macmillan, including the most recent 12th edition in 2023.
Among his most notable research achievements, Dr. Heller demonstrated that mammalian hibernation is an extended form of sleep. He also discovered that body temperature regulation stops during REM sleep. He recently found that certain body surfaces help with heat loss, allowing for quick adjustments to body temperature. Dr. Heller’s work also shows that muscle fatigue comes from rising muscle temperature. By managing this heat, muscles can work longer, improving conditioning and preventing heat-related injuries. Moreover, Dr. Heller’s studies have shown that sleep is essential for memory and learning, especially in individuals with Down syndrome.
In light of his remarkable success, Dr. Heller has been awarded numerous awards and citations, beginning with the Walter J. Gores Award for Excellence in Teaching from Stanford University in 1977. Other accolades from Stanford included the Kenneth M. Cuthbertson Award for exceptional contributions to Stanford University in 2010.
In the coming years, Dr. Heller intends to improve a therapy that could potentially help individuals with Down syndrome. He also aims to create a post-secondary program at Stanford University for young adults with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities. Additionally, Dr. Heller plans to enhance heat exchange technology for medical use, which could aid patients with multiple sclerosis and other conditions, allowing them to participate in everyday activities. Dr. Heller finds science fascinating and enjoyable, but he is increasingly focused on using it to improve lives.
For more information, please visit:
Contact Dr. Heller:
