Ph.D., Experimental Psychology; University of Pennsylvania 1991

I am interested in the genetic basis of human oral perception and its impact on nutrient intake. The primary focus of my work is on taste perception with an emphasis on taste discrimination, taste enhancement and suppression, and taste localization. I also study oral irritation/chemesthesis, mouthfeel, and astringency. The interactions among gustation, chemesthesis, and olfaction that comprise flavor are the topic of an ongoing research program that includes fMRI as a tool to understand regional brain involvement. In addition to human research, I conduct parallel genetic studies of the chemical senses and nutrient intake in my Fly Lab, which uses Drosophila melanogaster as a model.

Selected recent publications:

Breslin, P.A.S. (2013) An evolutionary perspective on food and human taste. Current Biology, 23, R409-R418.

Wise, P.M. and Breslin, P.A.S. (2013) Individual differences in sour and salt sensitivity: Detection and quality recognition thresholds for citric acid and sodium. Chemical Senses, 38: 333-342. PMID: 23413310

Coldwell, S., Mennella, J., Duffy, V., Pelchat, M., Griffith, J., Smutzer, G., Cowart, B., Breslin, P.A.S., Bartoshuk, L., Hastings, L., Victorson, D., Hoffman, H. (2013) Gustation assessment using the NIH toolbox. Neurology, 80, Suppl. 3, 1-5.

Campbell, M.C., Ranciaro, A., Froment, A., Hirbo, J., Omar, S., Bodo, J.-M., Nyambo, T., Lema, G., Zinshteyn, D., Drayna, D., Breslin, P.A.., and Tishkoff, S.A. (2012). Evolution of functionally diverse alleles associated with PTC bitter taste sensitivity in Africa. Molecular Biology and Evolution, . PMID 22130969

Mandel, A.L and Breslin, P.A.S. (2012). High endogenous salivary amylase activity is associated with improved glycemic homeostasis following starch ingestion in adults Journal of Nutrition, 142, 853-858. [Cover Article]. PMID 22492122

Wise, P.M., Breslin, P.A., Dalton, P. (2012) Sweet taste and menthol increase cough reflex thresholds. Pulmonary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 25, 236-241 PMID: 22465565

Peyrot des Gachons C., Mura, E, Speziale, C, Favreau, C.J, Dubreuil, G.F, Breslin, P.A.S. (2012) Opponency of astringent and fat sensations. Current Biology, 22, R829-R830. PMID: 23058798

Veldhuizen, M.G., J. Albrecht, C. Zelano, S. Boesveldt, P. Breslin,and J.N. Lundström (2011). Identification of humangustatory cortex byActivation Likelihood Estimation. Human Brain Mapping, PMID 21305668.NIHMS 250786 [Cover Article]

Peyrot des Gachons, C., K. Uchida, B. Bryant, A. Shima,J.B. Sperry,L. Dankulich-Nagrudny, M. Tominaga, A.B. Smith, III, G.K.Beauchamp,P.A.S. Breslin (2011). Unusual pungency from extra-virginolive oil isdue to restricted spatial expression of oleocanthal’sreceptor.Journal of Neuroscience, 31: 999-1009. NIHMS 250787 [CoverArticle]

Peyrot des Gachons, C., G.K. Beauchamp,  R.M. Stern,K.L. Koch, P.A.S. Breslin (2011). Bitter taste induces nausea.Current Biology,21, R247-248 PMID 21481757 [Cover Article]

Wise, P. and  P.A.S. Breslin (2011). Relationships amongtastequalities assessed with response-context effects. ChemicalSenses,Published Online. PMID: 21441368

Ozdener, M.H., J.G. Brand, A. Spielman, F.G. Lischka,J.H. Teeter, P.A.S. Breslin, N.E. Rawson (2011). Characterization of humanfungiform papillae cells in culture. Chemical Senses,PublishedOnline. PMID: 21471186 [Cover Article]

Greene, T.A., Alarcon, S., Thomas, A., Berdougo, E.,Doranz, B.J.,Breslin, P.A.S., and Rucker, J.B. (2011) Probenecidinhibits the humanbitter taste receptor TAS2R16 and suppresses bitterperception ofsalicin.  PLOS One, 6: e20123. PMID 21629661

Campbell, M.C., Ranciaro, A., Froment, A., Hirbo, J.,Omar, S., Bodo,J.-M., Nyambo, T., Lema, G., Zinshteyn, D., Drayna, D., Breslin,P.A.S., and Tishkoff, S.A. (2011). Evolution offunctionally diversealleles associated with PTC bitter taste sensitivity inAfrica.Molecular Biology and Evolution. E-pub PMID 22130969

Feng, P., Wang, H., Feldman, R.S., Pribitkin, E.A., P.A.S.Breslin (2010). The T Cells in peripheral taste tissue of healthyhumanadults: Predominant Memory T Cells and Th-1 cells.Chemical Senses,35, 501-509. PMID:20457570.  PMCID 2885746

Reed, D.R., G. Zhu,  P.A.S. Breslin, F.F. Duke, A.K.Henders, M.J.Campbell, G.W. Montgomery, S.E. Medland, N.G. Martin, M.J.Wright(2010). The perception of quinine taste intensity isassociated withcommon genetic variants in a bitter receptor cluster onchromosome 12.Hum Mol Genet. 2010 E-Pub. PMID: 20675712.  PMCID: 2951861

Mandel AL, C. Peyrot des Gachons, K.L. Plank, S. Alarcon, P.A.S.Breslin (2010).  Individual differences in AMY1 gene copynumber,salivary α-amylase levels, and the perception of oralstarch. PLoSOne, 5, e13352. PMID: 20967220. PMCID: 2954178

Cicerale, S., Breslin, P. A. S., Beauchamp, G. K., & Keast, R. S. J. (2009, electronic publication). Sensory characterization of the irritant properties of oleocanthal, a natural anti-inflammatory agent in extra virgin olive oils. Chemical Senses. doi:10.1093/chemse/bjp006

Feng, P., Yee, K. K., Rawson, N. E., Feldman, L. M., Feldman, R. S., & Breslin, P. A. S. (2009, electronic publication). Immune cells of the human peripheral taste system: Dominant dendritic cells and CD4 T cells. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2009.02.016

Peyrot des Gachons, C., Beauchamp, G.K., P.A.S. Breslin (2009). The genetics of bitterness and pungency detection and its impact on phytonutrient evaluation. Annals of New York Of Academy of Science, 1170, 140-144. PMID: 19686123

Pitt, J., B. Roth, P. Lacor, M. Blankenship, P. Velasco, F. De Felice, P.A.S. Breslin, & W. L. Klein (2009). Alzheimer's-associated Aβ oligomers show altered structure, immunoreactivity and synaptotoxicity with low doses of oleocanthal. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 240, 189-197. PMCID: PMC2808212

Breslin, P. A. S. (2008, electronic publication). Multi-modal sensory integration: Evaluating foods and mates. Chemosensory Perception. doi 10.1007/s12078-008-9021-5

Breslin, P.A.S. and A.C. Spector (2008). Mammalian Taste Perception. Current Biology, 18, R148-R155. PMID: 18302913

Gordesky-Gold, B., Rivers, N., Ahmed, O. M., & Breslin, P. A. S. (2008). Drosophila melanogaster prefers compounds perceived sweet by humans. Chemical Senses, 33, 301-309.

Galindo-Cuspinera, V. & Breslin, P. A. S. (2007). Taste after-images: the science of “water tastes”. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 64, 2049-2052.

Wise, P. M., Hansen, J. L., Reed, D. R., & Breslin, P. A. S. (2007). Twin study of the heritability of recognition thresholds for sour and salty taste. Chemical Senses, 32, 749-754.

Breslin, P. A. S. & Huang, L. (2006). Human taste: Peripheral anatomy, taste transduction, and coding. Hummel, T. and Welge-Lüssen, A. Advances in Otorhinolaryngology 63, 152-190. Basel, Karger.

Galindo-Cuspinera, V., Winnig, M., Bufe, B., Meyerhof, W., & Breslin, P. A. S. (2006). A TAS1R receptor-based explanation of sweet ‘water-taste’. Nature, 441, 354-357.

Hakala, M. & Breslin, P. A. S. (2006). Genotypes of the hTAS2R38 receptor predict bitterness of selected vegetables. Current Biology, 16, R792-R794.

Sandell, M. A. & Breslin, P. A. S. (2006). Variability in a taste-receptor gene determines whether we taste toxins in food. Current Biology, 16, R792-R794.

Beauchamp, G. K., Keast, R. S. J., Morel, D. L. J., Pika, J., Han, Q., Lee, C.-H. et al. (2005). Ibuprofen-like activity in extra-virgin olive oil. Nature, 437, 45-46.

Bufe, B., Breslin, P. A. S., Kuhn, C., Reed, D. R., Tharp, C. D., Slack, J. P. et al. (2005). The molecular basis of individual differences in phenylthiocarbamide and propylthiouracil bitterness perception. Current Biology, 22, 322-327.

Diamond, J., Breslin, P. A. S., Doolittle, N., Nagata, H., & Dalton, P. (2005). Flavor processing: perceptual and cognitive factors in multi-modal integration. Chemical Senses, 30 Suppl 1, i232-i233.

Diamond, J., Dalton, P., Doolittle, N., & Breslin, P. A. S. (2005). Gender-specific olfactory sensitization: hormonal and cognitive influences. Chemical Senses, 30 Suppl 1, i224-i225.

Galindo-Cuspinera, V. & Breslin, P. A. S. (2005). The liaison of sweet and savory. Chemical Senses, 31, 221-225.

Keast, R. S. J. & Breslin, P. A. S. (2005). Bitterness suppression with zinc sulfate and na-cyclamate: a model of combined peripheral and central neural approaches to flavor modification. Pharmaceutical Research, 22, 1970-1979.

Nagata, H., Dalton, P., Doolittle, N., & Breslin, P. A. S. (2005). Psychophysical isolation of the modality responsible for detecting multimodal stimuli: a chemosensory example. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance, 31, 101-109.

Smith, A. B., III, Han, Q., Breslin, P. A. S., & Beauchamp, G. K. (2005). Synthesis and assignment of absolute configuration of (-)-oleocanthal: a potent, naturally occurring non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant agent derived from extra virgin olive oils. Organic Letters, 7, 5075-5078.