SFC Symposium 2024

From genetics to AI, the field of receptor biology is advancing rapidly. New insights into receptor mechanisms responsive to salt, sour and alkaline stimuli are answering old questions and presenting new ones. Meanwhile, the application of advanced mathematical modeling and optogenetic techniques is deepening our understanding of how sweet, bitter and umami taste chemicals are detected and can be modulated. New cellular and genetic models have led to more effective taste modulators and greater insight into the biological and environmental factors altering taste function. Widespread loss of taste and smell resulting from the SARS-COV2 virus provided impetus to explore the role of infection and inflammation on taste cell production and function. This work is revealing the intimate role the immune system holds in controlling and shaping our taste cell populations. These advancements are expanding our understanding of taste perception and preference into new dimensions for the design of flavor systems that promote healthy eating and improved sustainability.