Professor Manuel Spitschan's research focuses on the effects of light on human physiology and behaviour, in particular with respect to the biological clock, circadian rhythms and sleep. In his research, he combines chronobiological assessments with cutting-edge methods for measuring, characterising and generating light stimuli, both in laboratory and field. 

Prof. Spitschan studied psychology at the University of St Andrews and received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. From 2016 to 2017 he was post-doc at Stanford University and from 2017 until 2021, he was a Sir Henry Wellcome Fellow and was promoted to University Research Lecturer (2020–2021). In January 2022, Prof. Dr. Spitschan was appointed to the Rudolf Mößbauer Tenure Track Assistant Professorship "Chronobiology & Health" at TUM and as Max Planck Research Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics.