MAKING CONNECTIONS
San Francisco, March 13–14, 2008
(click here to download brochure)

To quote Dr. George Brainard of Jefferson Medical College, “Light is a potent physiological stimulus!” Therefore how we choose to light our homes, hospitals, schools and workplaces has direct implications for public health.

Recent research has further defined how our daily exposure to light and darkness modifies the human circadian response. We now know that the human retina sends signals not only to the visual system, but also to the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the seat of the brain’s circadian clock. The signal is determined by the intensity, spectral content, timing and duration of the light received at the human retina.

Directly photosensitive ganglion cells have been identified at the front of the retina, which are not part of the visual system, specifically have sensitivity to blue wavelengths, and provide input to the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which then orchestrates a cascade of neuroendocrine hormones that can result in
potent effects on human physiology, behavior and well being. Ultimately, light indirectly induces responses in the pineal, pituitary and adrenal glands’ production of melatonin, growth hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone, prolactin, and cortisol, influencing events in the body such as the sleep/wake cycle, core body temperature, hormonal cycles, cognitive performance, mood, and immunological response.

A two-day symposium to discuss these recent findings, and their implications for a variety of fields, will be held in San Francisco, California on March 13-14 2008. Speakers will include key researchers and decision makers involved in lighting and health issues from the following fields: Neurology, Photobiology, Biochemistry, Ophthalmology and Vision, Immunology, Psychology, Gerontology, Pediatrics, Public
Health, Energy Policy, Transportation Planning, Building Design, and Lighting Technology. Key note speakers will include Dr. George Brainard who has done much pioneering work identifying the wavelength sensitivity of biological, behavioral and therapeutic responses to specific wavelengths in animals and humans.

The goal is to initiate an information exchange across these many disciplines, and to facilitate a conversation among California policy makers and researchers to better understand each others’ needs and concerns relative to the use of the light in the built environment.

With ever increasing goals for reducing energy use and climate change impacts in the state, the use of lighting in homes and workplaces is becoming an important focus of policy initiatives in California. Building designers and policy makers need better information about how our lighting use in the built environment may interact with public health. For example, how might replacing incandescent lamps with fluorescents or LEDs, establishing minimum or maximum illumination levels in various space types, or criteria for daylight, impact the health of building occupants? Likewise, medical researchers stand to gain important insight on the relationship of their work to public policy. California is uniquely positioned to make a difference in how our buildings are designed to promote both greater public health and reduced environmental impacts.

With initial funding provided by the California Energy Commission’s Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) Program, the event will be hosted by the California Lighting Technology Center at UC Davis and the Pacific Energy Center. Program organizers include Lisa Heschong, Dr. Michael Siminovitch, Dr. George Brainard, Dr. Joan Roberts, Dr. Charles Fuller, and Naomi Miller, FIES.

For further information, please contact Laura Krugh at the Heschong Mahone Group, Inc.
(916) 962-7001 or Krugh@h-m-g.com.