Prof. Dra. Debra J. Skene

Debra J. Skene, PhD, Professor of Neuroendocrinology is Section Lead for Chronobiology at the University of Surrey, UK. She has over 25 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.

Her team’s findings have led to the optimization of melatonin (dose, time of administration) and light (wavelength, time of administration) 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 disorders and metabolic diseases using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) metabolomics.

Professor Skene is past President of the European Biological Rhythms Society (EBRS) (2015-2019) and past Vice-President (Basic) of the European Sleep Research Society (ESRS) (2010-2014). She is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Sleep Research and on the Editorial Board of Chronobiology International and Clocks & Sleep.