Ghada M. Abu Irsheed, PhD, RN

Assistant Professor

Dr. Ghada Abu Irsheed is an Assistant Professor at the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing. She earned her PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Illinois Chicago and holds a Certificate in Sleep Health. Her dissertation, The Temporal Association Between Sleep and Glucose Among Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes, explored how dimensions of sleep health influence glycemic control, highlighting sleep as a modifiable factor in chronic disease management.
   
During her postdoctoral training, Dr. Abu Irsheed expanded her focus to examine sleep health as a pathway to cardiometabolic disparities among African American pregnant women. Her broader research investigates the relationship between sleep health and cardiometabolic risk within underserved communities, with particular attention to the role of social determinants of health.

Dr. Abu Irsheed is passionate about teaching, research, and service, and brings a student-centered philosophy to nursing education, one that fosters critical thinking, compassion, and cultural responsiveness in preparing future nurses.

Research Interests

Dr. Abu Irsheed’s research explores the intersection of social determinants of health and sleep health in shaping cardiometabolic risk among African American women. She is particularly interested in how social inequities contribute to disparities in sleep and chronic disease outcomes. Her work aims to inform culturally responsive interventions that promote health equity in underserved communities.

Specialty Area

Sleep health, cardiometabolic health, health equity