Affiliations
Senior Research Associate, Monell Chemical Senses Center
Education
Ph.D., Psychology, Temple University
Laboratory Of
Dr. Paul Breslin
Research Summary
My primary research interest is in creating a better understanding of the interrelationships among the sensorial, cognitive, metabolic, and genetic influences on eating and drinking. I am particularly interested in sweetness and bitterness perceptions and discovering ways to modulate them. Further, having started my career at Monell investigating chemesthesis, the topic is still near and dear, especially mouthfeel.
The goal of my research is to help stem the global obesity epidemic by enabling the creation of healthier foods and beverages without compromising on their palatability. Finally, this work also identifies solutions to make bitter medicines more palatable, with the hope of increasing patient compliance, especially among children suffering from life-threatening illnesses.
Keywords
sensory science, sweet taste, bitter taste, chemesthesis, psychophysics, food choice
Representative Publications
Breslin PAS, Izumi A, Tharp A, Ohkuri T, Yokoo Y, Flammer LJ, Rawson NE, and Margolskee RF (2021) Evidence that human oral glucose detection involves a sweet taste pathway and a glucose transporter pathway. PLoS ONE 16(10): e0256989. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256989
Erik Schwiebert, Yi Wang, Ranhui Xi, Katarzyna Choma, John Streiff, Linda J. Flammer, Natasha Rivers, Mehmet Hakan Ozdener, Robert F. Margolskee, Carol M. Christensen, Nancy E. Rawson, Peihua Jiang and Paul A. S. Breslin (2021) 6-Methylflavone blocks bitterness of tenofovir. Molecular Pharmacology 99 (5) 319-327; https://doi.org/10.1124/molpharm.120.000071
Wise, P. M., Nattress, L., Flammer, L. J., and Beauchamp, G. K. (2016). Reduced dietary intake of simple sugars alters perceived sweet taste intensity but not perceived pleasantness. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 103(1), 50-60.
Maria G. Veldhuizen, Danielle J. Nachtigal, Linda J. Flammer, Ivan E. de Araujo, Dana M. Small (2013) Verbal descriptors influence hypothalamic response to low-calorie drinks. Molecular Metabolism, 2 (3) 270-280; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmet.2013.06.004
