Colin J. Saldanha

Saldanha was born to Robert Thomas Colbert Saldanha and Irene Pauline Saldanha. He attended the Cathedral and John Connon School in Bombay and graduated in 1984. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Psychology from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1988. He completed his graduate training in Biopsychology at Columbia University, receiving M.A. in 1991, M.Phil. in 1992, and Ph.D. in 1995. Following his doctorate, Saldanha conducted postdoctoral research in neuroendocrinology at the Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) from 1996 to 2001. == Career ==

Saldanha began his independent academic career at Lehigh University, where he joined the Department of Biological Sciences in 2001. and full professor in 2011. In 2024, he was appointed director of the Center for Neuroscience and Behavior at American University. He was also a Board Member of the Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences. He also served on the editorial board of Hormones and Behavior. == Research ==

Saldanha's research examines the neural actions of steroid hormones, with particular emphasis on their spatially and temporally localized effects within the brain. A central theme of his work is the characterization of synaptocrine signaling, a mechanism in which estrogens are synthesized locally at synapses through the enzyme aromatase, enabling rapid modulation of neural activity, synaptic plasticity and behaviour. His research has also shown that brain injury induces aromatase expression in astroglial cells, resulting in local estrogen production with anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects, including sex-specific regulation of cytokine signalling. Using avian model systems, especially songbirds, Saldanha has investigated the role of locally synthesized estrogens in learning, spatial and episodic-like memory, social and reproductive behaviour, and vocal communication. He has authored conceptual and comparative reviews on rapid hormone action and neural aromatization across vertebrate species. His work has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Endocrine Reviews, Endocrinology, Current Biology, Hormones and Behavior, Journal of Neuroendocrinology and Physiology & Behavior. ==Personal life and activism==

Saldanha has been married to Cassandra Moore since December 1997. He successfully auditioned and sang first tenor (T1) with the Gay Mens Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA) from 1997 to 2001, and served as Chair of the Board of Directors from 1999-2001. In 2000 he wrote and was awarded a grant from the California Arts Council to support growth and outreach at GMCLA. He has continued his association with several LGBT+ organizations in Philadelphia and Washington, DC. == Selected publications ==

Journal Articles • • • • • • • • Book chapters • • • • • • • • ==References==