Pioneering chrononutrition scientist Prof Marie-Pierre St-Onge joins The Unleash Health Scientific Council
Unleash Health proudly welcomes Professor Marie-Pierre St-Onge, PhD, CCSH, FAHA, one of the world’s most influential scientists in sleep, circadian biology, nutrition, and cardiometabolic health, to its Scientific Council. Dr. St-Onge is Professor of Nutritional Medicine and the founding Director of the Center of Excellence for Sleep & Circadian Research at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, where she leads pioneering clinical research on how daily rhythms, when we sleep, when we eat, and how these patterns align with our biological clocks, shape long-term health, metabolism, and vitality.
For nearly two decades, Prof. St-Onge has been at the forefront of research showing that sleep timing, meal timing, circadian rhythm alignment, and diet quality interact to influence obesity, inflammation, insulin sensitivity, and cardiovascular risk. Her landmark American Heart Association scientific statements on sleep and cardiometabolic health, meal timing and frequency, and multidimensional sleep health have defined chrononutrition as one of the most important, and rapidly emerging fields in modern prevention science.
Her work has also illuminated the bidirectional cycle between sleep and diet, demonstrating that insufficient or irregular sleep drives suboptimal food choices, increased energy intake, and metabolic dysregulation, while certain dietary patterns and eating times can meaningfully influence sleep depth, recovery, and circadian stability. These discoveries underpin a new paradigm: health is rhythmic, and daily behaviors must be aligned with our internal clocks to support sustained metabolic and cellular vitality.
On joining Unleash Health’s Scientific Council, Prof. St-Onge shared:
“We now understand that timing is one of the most potent biological signals we have, when we sleep, eat, recover, and align our behaviours with circadian biology, we impact everything from metabolic efficiency to cellular repair and long-term cardiometabolic risk. What excites me about joining Unleash Health is their ability to translate this science into experiences at a scale and precision that has never been attained. Combining rigorous circadian and nutrition science with behaviourally intelligent AI opens an entirely new frontier for health science.”
Dr. Ramin Rafiei, Founder and CEO of Unleash Health, added:
“Marie-Pierre is one of the defining architects of modern circadian and chrononutrition science. Her work shifts the conversation towards a unified framework where sleep, eating patterns, metabolism, and cellular renewal are intertwined. As consumers increasingly embrace inside-out approaches to longevity, weight management, and beauty, her expertise will be fundamental in shaping the routines that improve how people feel, function, and age. We’re honored to welcome her to the Scientific Council.”
Dr. St-Onge’s appointment marks a strategic milestone in Unleash Health’s vision to bring the next generation of science-led, behaviorally-delivered wellness and longevity solutions to life in partnership with the world's leading consumer health and wealth brands.