Current Research
Individual differences
A) Genetic differences in chemosensory receptors result in individuals perceiving foods and beverages differently. A lot of work has explored differences in bitter taste receptors, leaving unanswered questions regarding other chemosensory receptors, including chemesthetic receptors.
B) Our dietary intake can also alter our perception. For example, your perception of saltiness of a snack may depend on the your dietary sodium consumption. An area of focus in our laboratory is exploring how dietary consumption of other foods (e.g. capsaicin and menthol) can result in differences in perception of foods and beverages.
B) Our dietary intake can also alter our perception. For example, your perception of saltiness of a snack may depend on the your dietary sodium consumption. An area of focus in our laboratory is exploring how dietary consumption of other foods (e.g. capsaicin and menthol) can result in differences in perception of foods and beverages.
Biology of chemosensory receptors
Our laboratory is interested in understanding how diet, disease, and other factors alter the expression of chemosensory receptors in the tongue epithelium.
Chemosensory disorders
Many patients report taste loss and/or metal mouth during and after cancer treatment. Research in this area can improve treatment outcome, by providing clinicians with information regarding expected changes in chemosensory perception during and after treatment. These data could lead to the development of new foods that can enhance taste and flavor perception. Better understanding of the pathways modulating changes in taste perception could aid in drugs that could mitigate these changes.
Plant-based foods
Consumers are looking for more sustainable food choices that help to replace animal-based products in their diet. Many products described as analogs attempt to mimic the sensory characteristics of animal-based products. Yet, alternative ingredients including plant-based proteins, pose challenges in recreating a desirable sensory experience. Our lab is interested in characterizing the sensory and quality attributes of plant-based products in order to better develop products for consumption. Another important factor is understanding consumers willingness to make dietary changes and their expectations.
For a complete list of published articles check out our google scholar page: scholar.google.com/citations?user=dR4woh4AAAAJ&hl=en
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Previous Research:
Scale usageI have experience with different psychophysical scales and also exploring participant usage of these scales. I am interested in the orientation process and participant performance using these scales.
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Non-nutritive sweetenersNon-nutritive sweeteners are found in many food products and beverages as low- and no-calorie sweetener. However, not all sugar substitutes have the same sensory profile and responses, such as sweet, bitter and metallic, differ across individuals. These differences are partly due to genetic variability in taste receptor genes.
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Ethanol intake & perceptionAlcohol intake and abuse effects many Americans, and has been linked with genetic variability in both chemosensory and non-chemosensory related genes. I have worked to uncover the relationship between alcohol intake, alcohol abuse, ethanol perception and genetic variability in taste receptors, chemesthetic receptors and non-chemosensory genes.
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CapsaicinExploring the burn response to a wide range of capsaicin concentrations, and how perception differs by age, intake and self-reported preferred spice level (i.e. Mild, Medium, Hot). There are several factors that are thought to influence intake of spicy food. These differences in intake may also be driven by differences in the capsaicin receptor, TRPV1.
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Capsaicin hypoalgesiaI have explored the development of capsaicin hypoalgesia, meaning the phenomenon of decreased burn response following repeated exposure to capsaicin. In an attempt to understand the mechanism behind capsaicin hypoalgesia, we collected participants fungiform papillae and measured mRNA expression of TRPV1, the capsaicin receptor.
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Individual differences & Genetic variabilityThe majority of my previous research has been centered around the individual variability in liking, intake and perception of foods and ingredients. Not everyone perceives the same sensations when eating food. These differences have been found to associate with gender, age, personality, previous experience and many other factors. Genetic difference in our chemosensory genes can alter the function of the receptor and impair or enhance perception of certain compounds.
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Other research interests:
Study design
Alcohol consumption and ethanol perception
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Taste loss and chronic disease
Statistical analysis
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Chemosensory receptor expression
Nutrition
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Food as nutraceuticals to treat or reduce risk of disease
Genetics
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