Contact Information

(267) 519-4760

Alexander Bachmanov

Member

Education

D.V.M., Saint Petersburg Veterinary Institute
Ph.D., Biological Sciences; Pavlov Institute of Physiology

Research Summary

My research is focused on genetics of taste, ingestive behavior and alcohol intake. I use the laboratory mouse as a model organism. My studies are based on genetic variation among mouse strains. I use mice with contrasting phenotypes for genetic analyses. The goal of these analyses is to find chromosomal locations of genes involved in taste-related behavior, with an ultimate goal to identify the molecular identity of these genes using the positional cloning approach. In addition, I use physiological and behavioral techniques to better understand mechanisms responsible for genetic differences in taste-related behavior.

My research approach has a potential to discover novel genes relevant to taste, nutrition and addiction and has several applications to human health. Human orthologs of these genes can be examined for their association with relevant phenotypes in human populations. Proteins encoded by these genes could be used to screen for new taste or drug compounds.

Detailed description of research program

Keywords

taste, genetics, ingestive behavior, alcohol intake, obesity, neuroscience

Recent Publications

Golden, G. J.; Ishiwatari, Y.; Theodorakis, M. J.; Bachmanov, A. A. (In Press) “Effect of chorda tympani nerve transection on salt taste perception in mice.” Chemical Senses.

Li, X.; Bachmanov, A. A.; Maehashi, K.; Li, W.; Lim, R.; Brand, J.; Beauchamp, G. K.; Reed, D. R.; Thai, C.; Floriano, W. B. (2011) “Sweet taste receptor gene variation and aspartame taste in primates and other species.” Chemical Senses. 36.5, 453-475.

Bachmanov, A. A.; Bosak, N.; Floriano, W. B.; Inoue, M.; Li, X.; Lin, C.; Murovets, V. O.; Reed, D. R.; Zolotarev, V. A.; Beauchamp, G. K. (2011) “Genetics of sweet taste preferences.” Flavour and Fragrance Journal. 26, 286–294.

Bachmanov, A. A. “Umami: fifth taste? Flavor enhancer?” (2010, April) Perfumer and Flavorist. 52+.

Field, K. L.; Beauchamp, G. K.; Kimball, B. A.; Mennella, J. A.; Bachmanov, A. A. (2010) “Bitter avoidance in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) and mice (Mus musculus and Peromyscus leucopus).” Journal of Comparative Psychology. 124, 455-9.

Murovets, V. O.; Zolotarev, V. A. and Bachmanov, A. A. (2010) “The role of the Sac locus in the alcohol taste preference in inbred mouse strains.” Doklady Biological Sciences. 432, 181-3.

Nelson, T. M.; Lopez Jimenez, N. D., Tessarollo, L.; Inoue, M.; Bachmanov, A. A. and Sullivan, S. L. (2010) “Taste function in mice with a targeted mutation of the Pkd1l3 gene.” Chemical Senses. 35, 565-77.

Bachmanov, A. A.; Inoue, M.; Ji, H.; Murata, Y.; Tordoff, M.; Beauchamp, G. K. (2009) “Glutamate taste and appetite in laboratory mice: physiologic and genetic analyses.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 90, 756S-63S.

Lab Staff

Natalia Bosak, Research Associate
Cailu Lin, Postdoctoral Fellow
Theodore Nelson, Postdoctoral Fellow
Glen Golden, Postdoctoral Fellow (co-mentored with Bruce Kimball)
Ichiro Matsumoto, Postdoctoral Fellow (co-mentored with Liquan Huang)
Maria Theodorides, Senior Research Specialist
Zakiyyah Smith, Junior Research Specialist

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