Liquan Huang

Associate Member

Education

PhD, Molecular Biology; Yale University

Research Summary

My research is directed at the molecular mechanisms that underlie taste sensation and food preference. The focus is on identifying molecules that are involved in the recognition and transmission of taste stimuli in the oral cavity and other parts of the digestive system. This work has implications for understanding the cellular and molecular basis of gustatory perception, which may lead to effective treatments of taste disorders.

Keywords

single cells, gene expression, signal transduction, taste perception, digestive system

Recent Publications

Iguchi N.; Ohkuri, T.; Slack, J. P.; Zhong, P. and Huang, L. (2011) “Sarco/endoplasmic reticulum ca2+-atpases (SERCA) contribute to gpcr-mediated taste perception.” PLoS ONE. 6, e23165.

Cohn, Z. J.; Kim, A.; Huang, L.; Brand, J. and Wang, H. (2010) “Lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation attenuates taste progenitor cell proliferation and shortens the life span of taste bud cells.” BMC Neuroscience. 11, 72.

Hunter-Smith, S. and Huang, L. (2009) “Human taste: peripheral anatomy, taste transduction and coding.” AgroFood Industry Hi-Tech. 20.1, 24-27.

Maehashi, K. and Huang, L. (2009) “Bitter peptides and bitter taste receptors.” Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. 66.10, 1661-71.

Rawson, N. E. and Huang, L. (2009) “Impact of oronasal inflammation on taste and smell: an introduction.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1170, 596-603.

Rawson, N. E. and Huang, L. (2009) “Symposium overview: Impact of oronasal inflammation on taste and smell.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1170, 581-84.

Wang, H.; Iguchi, N.; Rong, Q.; Zhou, M.; Ogukunorode, M.; Inoue, M.; Pribitkin, E. A.; Bachmanov, A. A.; Margolskee, R. F.; Pfeifer, K. and Huang, L. (2009) “Expression of the voltage-gated potassium channel KCNQ1 in mammalian taste bud cells and the effect of its null-mutation on taste preferences.” Journal of Comparative Neurology. 512, 384-98.

Wang, H.; Zhou, M.; Brand, J. and Huang, L. (2009) “Inflammation and taste disorders: mechanisms in taste buds.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1170, 596-603.

Huang, L. (2008) “Bitter taste for flavor and health.” Perfumer and Flavorist. 33, 52-55.

Naim, M; Shaul, M. E.; Spielman, A. I.; Huang, L. and Peri, I. (2008) “Permeation of amphipathic sweeteners into taste-bud cells and their interactions with post-receptor signaling components: Possible implications for sweet-taste quality” in Sweetness and Sweeteners: Biology, Chemistry, and Psychophysics. Ed. D. K. Weerasinghe and G. Dubois, London: Oxford University Press, 241-55.

Lab Staff

Naoko Iguchi, Ph.D., Research Associate
Jie Cao, Ph.D., Research Associate
Jiang Xu, M.D., Research Associate (co-supervised with Dr. Johannes Reisert)
Feng Li, Ph.D. Postdoctoral fellow
Tadahiro Ohkuri, Ph.D., Postdoctoral fellow (co-mentored with Alexander Bachmanov)
Gen-Hua Zhang, Ph.D., Visiting Scientist
Meng-Ling Chen, Ph.D. Visiting Scientist
Minliang Zhou, B.S., Technician