A Sudden Exit After 22 Years
An Indian-origin scientist quit a US lab this month. And the fallout has stunned the tight-knit world of biomedical research in San Diego.
Satchidananda Panda is a household name in circadian rhythm science. He is leaving the Salk Institute for Biological Studies on August 13. This closes out a 22-year run at one of America’s most prestigious research centres.
What Triggered the Investigation
The exit follows an independent probe into sexual misconduct allegations against Panda. He has firmly denied these allegations.
Salk hired an outside employment law firm to investigate. The probe began after a research assistant in his lab filed a complaint earlier this year. According to people familiar with the matter, the assistant alleged something troubling. She said Panda gave her unwanted massages in his office. He reportedly grew hostile after she declined a foot massage. He allegedly warned her that she’d never make it in science.
Salk Stayed Quiet And Staff Noticed
Salk president Gerald Joyce broke the news to faculty in an internal email. But the institute kept the investigation’s findings under wraps.
This decision has irritated staff. Many feel the departure was handled too quietly for something this serious. Insiders also point to a pattern here. Science magazine reports this isn’t the first time Panda has faced scrutiny. In fact, it’s at least the second occasion in recent years that Salk has investigated harassment complaints involving him.
Panda Defends His Legacy
Panda isn’t going quietly into obscurity, though. In a message to colleagues, he said protecting a safe and respectful workplace has always mattered to him. He also revealed his next move: writing a book on how breakthroughs in circadian biology could reshape human health.
The Odisha-born researcher earned his PhD from Scripps Research Institute in 2001. He built his reputation studying how light exposure and eating windows influence the body’s internal clock. This work fed directly into the global rise of intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating.
An Uncomfortable Case of Déjà Vu
This isn’t the first time Salk has faced this kind of reckoning. Back in 2018, cancer biologist Inder Verma resigned under similar pressure. Science had reported allegations from eight women, six of them Salk employees, accusing him of forcible sexual contact.
That same year brought more trouble. Three senior female faculty members sued the institute. They alleged systemic gender discrimination in pay and promotions. Salk eventually settled those lawsuits.
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What Happens Next?
Will this latest departure push Salk to rethink how it handles misconduct cases? Or will it simply fade into another quiet exit followed by silence?
For now, one of circadian science’s most recognisable names is stepping away from the lab that shaped his career. He leaves behind unanswered questions, and a research community watching closely.
