Diversity Supplement to R01 DC017757

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PROJECT SUMMARY Modern technology makes it possible to capture a visual scene as a photograph, alter it, send it to another country nearly instantaneously, and store it without concern for degradation. None of this is currently possible in olfaction. Although perfumers and flavorists are adept at mixing odorous molecules to produce a desired perceptual effect, the rules underlying this process are poorly understood at a quantitative level. Current methods for displaying odors to a subject are akin to requiring a Polaroid of every visual stimulus of interest. A more efficient method for probing the olfactory system would be to use a set of 'primary odors'—some limited number of odors from which all other complex odors could be reproduced by appropriate mixtures. Both auditory and visual stimuli have been digitized, and this will eventually be possible in olfaction as well. Predicting odor from chemical structure has been a problem in the field since its inception, but recent advances in machine learning algorithms have made great progress in analogous problems, such as facial recognition. This diversity supplement proposal seeks funds to enable Joshua Nsubuga, a Black U.S. citizen, to learn how to design experiments, analyze data, and conduct human sensory studies. We have crafted a training plan that draws on both our laboratory's experience and Monell's Science Apprenticeship Program to facilitate Mr. Nsubuga's technical, intellectual, and career development.