Surabhi Bhutani

Surabhi Bhutani is an Associate Professor in the School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences at San Diego State University, affiliated with the College of Health and Human Services. Her research spans nutrition, obesity, chemosensory science, and public health, with particular focus on how sensory perception influences dietary behaviors and metabolic health outcomes. She has led multiple NIH-funded projects investigating COVID-19's impact on chemosensory function and pandemic-related weight changes.

Education:

• PhD Kinesiology and Nutrition, University of Illinois at Chicago (2009-2013)
• NIH T-32 Post-Doctoral Fellowships: Northwestern University (2016-2018), University of Wisconsin (2014-2016)
• MSc Foods and Nutrition, Delhi University (2003-2005)
• BSc Foods and Nutrition, Delhi University (2000-2003)

Her research examines bidirectional relationships between chemosensory dysfunction (smell/taste) and metabolic conditions like obesity, utilizing methods from sensory neuroscience, epidemiology, and behavioral intervention trials. Recent work demonstrates how olfactory impairment interacts with body composition to influence dietary choices, and how circadian rhythms modulate sensory perception.

Publication trends reveal three dominant themes: 1) COVID-19-related chemosensory disturbances and their metabolic consequences, 2) neural and behavioral mechanisms of food perception and intake regulation, and 3) intermittent fasting efficacy across demographic groups. Her work employs diverse methodologies including neuroimaging, population surveys, and clinical trials.

Awards and Honors:

• Grants Research and Enterprise Writing Fellowship (2018)
• Multiple NIH T-32 Postdoctoral Fellowships
• Kamath Award for PhD Productivity (2010)
• Distinction Awards in Master's studies

She actively mentors graduate and undergraduate researchers, with 20+ students supervised since 2018. Current projects include developing olfactory training interfaces for COVID-19 smell recovery and investigating chronotype influences on sensory perception. She leads collaborations through the Global Consortium of Chemosensory Research and serves as Associate Editor for BMC Nutrition.