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Ph.D.
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Research Interests My research program focuses on the development of food and flavor preferences in humans and the effects of alcohol and tobacco on women’s health and infant development. Current research studies focus on the following areas: 1) how maternal diet alters the aromatic profiles of amniotic fluid and mother's milk and how such early flavor experiences affect food preferences during weaning and childhood; 2) elucidation of sensitive periods in flavor learning and food preferences in humans; 3) developing strategies to promote acceptance of fruits and vegetables in infants and children; 4) studying the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of alcohol in women; 5) determining the effects of alcohol consumption on hormonal responses and lactational performance; 6) studying the relationship between family history of alcoholism, tobacco use and sweet taste preferences/analgesia across the lifespan; 7) learning how parental drinking and smoking impact on sleep and activity patterns as well as on the hedonic response to the sensory properties of these drugs in children; and 8) elucidating the contribution of genes and experiential factors to individual differences in taste and smell preferences among children. |
Julie Mennella