Satchidananda "Satchin" Panda (born 1971) is an Indian-American chronobiologist at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, who has worked in circadian biology. His work includes studies on melanopsin-mediated light sensing and time-restricted eating (TRE), also referred to as intermittent fasting. Panda's researched melanopsin in the eye, a component in regulating the mammalian circadian clock. More recently, his laboratory has focused on the impact of circadian rhythms and TRE on metabolism and overall health.
Panda was born and raised in Odisha, India in 1971. He received a degree in plant biology from Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology. After his bachelorâÂÂs degree, he attended the Scripps Research Institute in California, where he wrote his thesis on the circadian oscillator mechanism in plants in Dr. Steve KayâÂÂs laboratory. He was awarded his PhD in 2001.
Panda began his career as a Postdoctoral Researcher for the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation in San Diego, California. He transferred to the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in December 2004, working as an Associate Professor. In March 2016, Dr. Panda became a Professor. In addition, he served as an adjunct professor for UCâ¯San Diego in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology.
Panda developed the app myCircadianClock with Emily Manoogian, Shweta Varshney, M Pharm, Jason Fleischer, Tyler Tran, and Grace LeBlue to aid research in circadian rhythms. The application allows users to log eating, sleeping, and activity habits. The app is publicly available but requires an access code from Panda Lab to use.
PandaâÂÂs early work on melanopsin contributed to understanding the mechanisms underlying nonâÂÂimageâÂÂforming light perception. His team identified melanopsin, a blue lightâÂÂsensitive photopigment expressed in intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, as contributing to conveying ambient light information to the brainâÂÂs master clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. This research contributed to clarifying how light cues synchronize circadian rhythms and regulate sleepâÂÂwake cycles, hormone secretion, and physiological timing. The findings were cited in research into light therapy for insomnia, ADHD, migraines, and other disorders, and informed publicâÂÂhealth guidelines aimed at reducing nightâÂÂtime blueâÂÂlight exposure.
PandaâÂÂs research on time-restricted eating (TRE) demonstrated that limiting food consumption to a consistent 8âÂÂ12âÂÂhour window without reducing total calories prevented obesity, improved glucose regulation, and mitigated metabolic disorders in mice. FollowâÂÂup clinical studies showed that eating within a 10âÂÂhour window improved weight, abdominal fat, blood pressure, and glycemic control in individuals with metabolic syndrome. These findings contributed to the popularity of TRE as a lifestyle intervention for obesity and diabetes and focused on the importance of meal timing in metabolic homeostasis.
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