California: Satchidananda (Satchin) Panda, considered one of the world’s best-known researchers on circadian biology and intermittent fasting, has resigned from California’s prestigious Salk Institute for Biological Studies, after a workplace sexual misconduct investigation.
This brings to an end a distinguished career spanning 22 years for the Odisha-born scientist.
His resignation will take effect on August 13, the institute confirmed, as reported by News18.
An internal investigation was launched after a female research assistant in Panda’s laboratory filed a workplace misconduct complaint earlier this year. While Panda has denied all allegations, the case has drawn renewed attention to workplace conduct and accountability in elite scientific institutions.
A staff research assistant reported concerns about workplace misconduct through its official channels in March 2026, the Salk Institute claimed.
The institute said it immediately initiated an independent and impartial investigation while providing support and resources to the complainant. Panda was subsequently placed on administrative leave. The research assistant later left the institute voluntarily.
This was at least the second time in recent years that Salk investigated Panda following workplace harassment-related complaints, the journal Science, which first reported the resignation, said.
In a statement quoted by Science, Panda said he remains committed to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace.
“I am deeply committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and professional environment for everyone in my research team and across the institute. These values are central to my leadership.”
Panda said he plans to focus on writing a new book exploring how advances in circadian rhythm science could shape the future of human health in a separate message to colleagues announcing his resignation,
“This is the right moment to pause, take fresh stock of these shifts, and redefine the goals for the next phase of my career,” he wrote.
Panda, who received a degree in plant biology from the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, before moving to the Scripps Research Institute in California.
Panda has been among the world’s leading scientists studying the body’s internal biological clock, known as the circadian rhythm, for more than two decades. His work transformed scientific understanding of how meal timing, sleep cycles and light exposure influence metabolism, ageing and chronic diseases.
Panda’s laboratory helped popularise time-restricted eating, a form of intermittent fasting in which meals are consumed within a fixed daily time window. The research attracted millions of dollars in grants and influenced nutrition, sleep medicine and preventive healthcare worldwide.
He authored bestselling books on circadian health, including The Circadian Code, and has consistently ranked among the world’s most highly cited researchers. In 2023, he was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in recognition of his scientific contributions.
In 2018, another prominent Indian-origin scientist, Inder Verma, resigned from the Salk Institute during an investigation into sexual harassment allegations, which he also denied. That case prompted widespread discussions about workplace culture and accountability in academic research institutions.
