Dr. Kong is a distinguished researcher in sleep and dementia physiology, currently affiliated with the Healthy Brain Ageing Research Clinic at the Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney. He holds a prestigious SIESTA fellowship aimed at exploring the role of the locus coeruleus within the glymphatic system in Alzheimer's disease. Previously, he was involved with the CogSleep initiative, where he investigated the neural mechanisms and prognostic significance of altered nocturnal heart rate variability in individuals at risk of dementia.

Dr. Kong's primary research objective is to deepen the understanding of the interactions between the peripheral nervous system and the central nervous system, particularly during sleep. Building on his PhD research, he aims to determine whether heart rate variability can serve as a biomarker for dementia risk or cognitive decline. This research could lead to significant insights into the connection between cardiac function and early neurodegenerative pathology. Additionally, it may inform the development of scalable, home-based wearable devices (e.g., photoplethysmography) for monitoring heart rate variability for diagnostic and prognostic purposes.

Qualifications:

• Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology), University of Sydney (July 2018 – March 2022)
• Master of Brain and Mind Sciences, University of Sydney (March 2017 – February 2018)
• Bachelor of Psychology with Honours, James Cook University (October 2012 – February 2016)