Our Team

GLEE brings together researchers from diverse backgrounds to study how light affects health and well-being across cultures.

Manuel Spitschan PhD

Principal Investigator

Manuel Spitschan is the Principal Investigator on the GLEE Project. He is a neuroscientist trained in both vision science and chronobiology. He leads the Research Data Alliance Working Group Optical Radiation and Visual Experience Data.

Johannes Zauner PhD

Research Software Engineer

Johannes Zauner is a Research Software Engineer with a background in lighting design, human sensory biology and software development.

Salma Thalji MSc

Research Software Engineer

Salma Thalji is a Research Software Engineer with a background and training in electrical engineering.

Erina Tsukimori BSc BBM

Community Manager

With a background in clinical research and partnership management, Erina specializes in fostering collaboration and managing initiatives that address global light exposure challenges in the context of sustainability and human health.

Advisory Board

Our Advisory Board brings together leading experts from around the world, representing diverse disciplines and regions to guide the strategic direction of the Global Light Commons.

Kwadwo Owusu Akuffo, OD, PhD

KNUST, Ghana

Senior Lecturer at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology specializing in ocular nutrition, ophthalmic epidemiology, and environmental vision.

Altug Didikoglu, PhD

Izmir Institute of Technology, Turkey

Neuroscientist leading the Translational Chronobiology Lab. His research focuses on the non-visual effects of light on sleep, alertness, and cognition.

Vineetha Kalavally, PhD

Monash University Malaysia

Associate Professor and Director of the Intelligent Lighting Lab. An international expert in human-centric lighting and spectral engineering.

Lisa Ostrin, OD, PhD

University of Houston, USA

Professor of Optometry researching myopia development and environmental factors in ocular growth using wearable sensor technologies.

Carlyn Patterson Gentile, MD, PhD

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, USA

Physician scientist specializing in child neurology and headache medicine, using wearable biosensors to study light sensitivity in youth.

Andrea Sancho-Salas

University of Costa Rica

Associate Professor of Architecture specializing in tropical architecture and lighting design in Latin American contexts.

Juliette van Duijnhoven, PhD

Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands

Assistant Professor in Building Lighting researching personal light exposure patterns and their effects on health and wellbeing.

Collaborators

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Our partners at KNUST in Kumasi, Ghana, collaborate on research exploring cultural and environmental factors affecting light exposure and health outcomes.

Technical University of Munich

GLEE is supported by the TUM Global Incentive Fund, enabling international research collaborations and knowledge exchange.