Association for Chemoreception Sciences (AChemS) 47th Annual Meeting

(Press-News.org) The Association for Chemoreception Sciences (AChemS) continues its legacy as a premier organization dedicated to advancing the understanding of chemosensory systems. Over the past four decades, AChemS has been instrumental in fostering interdisciplinary research and collaboration in the fields of taste, smell, and chemical senses. Through its annual meetings, publications, and networking opportunities, AChemS provides a platform for scientists, clinicians, and industry professionals to exchange ideas, present cutting-edge research findings, and address pressing challenges in chemoreception.

The 47th Annual AChemS Conference is set to take place from April 23rd to 26th, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs, Florida. This year's conference promises to deliver the latest findings unraveling the complexities of chemosensory perception, with significant implications for human health, behavior, and quality of life.

This conference will bring together 400 esteemed scientists, clinicians, and industry members. Renowned as the nation's foremost platform for exploring taste, smell, and chemesthesis research, the event will feature an impressive lineup of 49 presentations. A total of 232 posters have been accepted to present that represent diverse fields in chemosensation, including olfaction and olfactory receptors, cognition, neural pathways, learning and memory, taste preference and transduction, and chemesthesis, just to name a few. For a list of highlighted abstracts to be presented, visit the provided link.

Press Abstracts

Ahead of the conference, a special pre-meeting symposium led by Drs. Valentina Parma and Nancy Rawson from the Monell Chemical Senses Center will bring together researchers, clinicians, and patients to discuss chemosensation and health. The goal of this brief session is to highlight the need for clinical assessments to evaluate changes in taste and smell to foster patient support and guide the development of evidence-based therapies.

The conference begins with opening remarks from AChemS President Alfredo Fontanini and a keynote lecture, delivered by Dr. Lars Chittka from the University of London on “The Mind of a Bee”. A few highlights of the program, which runs through Saturday, April 26th, include fascinating symposia on “Non-gustatory orosensory mechanisms that dictate whether to eat or not to eat, “Odor quality and prediction,” and “Where the olfactory and reward system meet.” This conference is well known for its interactive and engaging poster sessions, with five poster sessions throughout the conference. Other noteworthy events include the Max Mozell Award Lecture by Dr. Nirupa Chaudhari.

The conference will feature a series of symposia covering diverse topics, including:

Eating with Feeling: Exploring Connections Between Emotions and Chemosensory Stimuli – examining the interplay between emotions and chemosensory experiences In Vivo Visualization of the Human Olfactory System – discussing advanced imaging techniques for studying the olfactory system. Neuromodulation of Chemosensation – exploring how neuromodulatory systems influence chemosensory processing.​ Non-Gustatory Orosensory Mechanisms That Dictate Whether to Eat or Not to Eat – investigating the role of orosensory cues in feeding behavior. Odor Quality Prediction – focusing on computational approaches to predict odor perception. Presidential Symposium: Motorizing The Chemical Senses From The Whiskers, The Nose, and The Tongue – highlighting the integration of motor and chemosensory systems. Visceral and Sensory Signaling in Food Reward Valuation – examining how internal signals influence food-related reward processing. Where the Olfactory and Reward System Meet – exploring the intersection of olfactory processing and reward systems. We look forward to your participation in AChemS XLVII as we continue to advance the field of chemosensory science together.

Selected meeting presentations (embargoed until April 23rd, 2025):

Chemosensory dysfunction and life Satisfaction in cancer patients
This research links taste and smell dysfunction in cancer
patients to reduced life satisfaction, underscoring the urgent need for clinical attention to
these overlooked symptoms.
Abstract #213
Contact: Victoria Esparza vesparza@monell.org

Investigating Chemosensory Adverse Events with GLP-1 Receptor Agonists
GLP-1RAs, specifically semaglutide, show significant associations with reports of taste and smell dysfunction, negatively impacting health and quality of life of those using these medications long-term.
Abstract #214
Contact: Ryann Kolb rkolb@monell.org

Distinct developmental and adiposity-related effects on umami taste
Children detected umami taste at higher concentrations than adults, indicating sensitivity increases with age. In adults only, higher adiposity was associated with reduced umami sensitivity.
Abstract #111
Contact: Yanina Pepino ypepino@illinois.edu

Visualizing sensory signals for odor-guided navigation
We used new brain imaging tools to visualize sensory activity in freely moving animals during naturalistic foraging for food.
Abstract #160
Contact: Jesse Smith jasmith1@bu.edu

Potential association between chronic nose inflammation with learning and memory decline.
Constant inflammation of the area of the nose dedicated to the sense of smell can lead to reducing or losing the sense of smell. We use a mouse model, which produces a constant nose inflammation similar to that observed in humans. Our results show a potential association between chronic nose inflammation with learning and memory.
Abstract #193
Contact: Derek Cox COXDC2@mail.etsu.edu

Study reveals brain responses to odors in infants
This study uses neuroimaging to show how the brain of young infants (4-7 weeks old) responds to different pleasant and unpleasant odors.
Abstract #3
Contact: Thorsten Kahnt: thorsten.kahnt@nih.gov

GLP-1 Receptor Agonists Significantly Impair the Human Ability to Taste.
Glucagon-like peprtide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are widely used for weight loss. We demonstrate, for the first time, that GLP-1 RAs impair the ability of humans to taste, adding one more likely reason why these drugs decrease food intake.
Abstract #108
Contact: Richard Doty doty@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Premotor inputs modulate preparatory activity in the gustatory cortex
We find that preparatory signals predicting a mouse's upcoming lick decision observed in the gustatory cortex depend on activity from a subregion of the premotor cortex.
Abstract #55
Contact: John Chen john.chen.3@stonybrook.edu

E-Cigarette Aerosol Exposure Induced Olfactory Dysfunction in Mice
My project is focused on examining olfactory deficits from e-cigarette aerosol chemical exposure. This work is critical for understanding the long-term impacts of frequent vaping on olfactory function.
Abstract #144
Contact: Sean O’Sullivan seanos1@umbc.edu

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