Debra J. Skene, PhD, Professor of Neuroendocrinology, is a Distinguished Professor at the University of Surrey, UK. She has over 30 years of research experience studying the human circadian timing system and circadian rhythm sleep/wake disorders as experienced by blind people, shift workers and older people (> 200 peer-reviewed publications).

Her team’s findings have led to the optimization of melatonin (dose, timing) and light (spectral sensitivity, timing) as treatment strategies for circadian rhythm sleep/wake disorders. Currently her main focus is studying the mechanisms linking circadian clocks, sleep and metabolism in health, circadian/sleep disorders and metabolic diseases (shift workers, Type 2 diabetes, liver disease) using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) metabolomics. Her research has characterised the effect of time of day, circadian timing, sleep/wake and feeding/fasting on the human metabolome.

Professor Skene’s past activities include President of the European Biological Rhythms Society (EBRS); Vice-President (Basic) of the European Sleep Research Society (ESRS); a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award holder; Co-Director of Stockgrand Ltd and Surrey Assays Ltd and Associate Editor of the Journal of Sleep Research.