David Samson, University of Toronto

Research

actigraphy adaptive ape comparative approach evolution human monkey phylogenetics

Latest papers

Rank and social context influence sleep in wild chimpanzees.
Current biology : CB · 2026
Adaptive introgression in modern human circadian rhythm genes.
Npj biological timing and sleep · 2025
Failure of fear extinction in insomnia: An evolutionary perspective.
Sleep medicine reviews · 2020

All 5 publications

Latest funding

The Belonging Mind: Misinformation, Mental Immunity, and Wellbeing Across the American Nations
SSHRC · 2025 · Principal investigator
$431,500
Activity around the clock: The evolution of sleep in human and non-human primates
NSERC · 2020 · Principal investigator
$140,000
Activity around the clock: The evolution of sleep in human and non-human primates
NSERC · 2020 · Principal investigator
$12,500

All 4 grants and awards

5 publications.

01

Rank and social context influence sleep in wild chimpanzees.

Hozer C, Ahabwe F, Freymond N, Cirulnikow M, Chandia B, Mbotella M, Samson D, Zuberbühler K

Current biology : CB2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.11.057 PMID: 41389795

02

Adaptive introgression in modern human circadian rhythm genes.

Kendall C, Nooranikhojasteh A, Debortoli G, Roberto VCF, Mendes M, Samson D, Parra E, Viola B, Schillaci MA

Npj biological timing and sleep2025

DOI: 10.1038/s44323-025-00060-2 PMID: 41356431

03

Failure of fear extinction in insomnia: An evolutionary perspective.

Perogamvros L, Castelnovo A, Samson D, Dang-Vu TT

Sleep medicine reviews2020

DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2020.101277 PMID: 32143023

04

Eulerian videography technology improves classification of sleep architecture in primates.

Melvin E, Samson D, Nunn CL

Primates; journal of primatology2019

DOI: 10.1007/s10329-019-00744-x PMID: 31456082

05

Sleep research in non-Western populations reveals novel insights about the breadth and diversity of human sleep patterns.

Yetish G, Samson D

Sleep health2018Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.sleh.2018.10.006 PMID: 30442315

The Belonging Mind: Misinformation, Mental Immunity, and Wellbeing Across the American Nations

Principal investigatorSSHRC2025Insight Grants

Principal investigators: Samson, David

$431,500

Activity around the clock: The evolution of sleep in human and non-human primates

Principal investigatorNSERC2020Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Samson, David

Keywords: primate; evolution; sleep; adaptive; phylogenetics; human; monkey; ape; comparative approach; actigraphy

$140,000

Activity around the clock: The evolution of sleep in human and non-human primates

Principal investigatorNSERC2020Discovery Launch Supplement

Principal investigators: Samson, David

$12,500

What is human sleep? A global, comparative investigation of sleep in traditional societies

Principal investigatorSSHRC2018Insight Development Grant

Principal investigators: Samson, David

Keywords: (1) sleep; (2) indigenous; (3) actigraphy; (4) activity; (5) circadian rhythm; (6) health; (7) sleep disorder; (8) evolution; (9) adaptation; (10) circumpolar

$74,913

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their SSHRC grant from 2025

Subject: Prospective PhD student: actigraphy Dear Professor Samson, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Rank and social context influence sleep in wild chimpanzees." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your SSHRC-funded project "The Belonging Mind: Misinformation, Mental Immunity, and Wellbeing Across the American Nations" (2025), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]