University of Florida Chemosensory Clinical Research Program

描述（由申请人提供）：为佛罗里达大学嗅觉和味觉中心的化学感觉临床研究项目的扩展，要求建立并实施四个基础设施组成部分的可行性。该计划侧重于临床重要的，化学感觉功能障碍（味觉，鼻后嗅觉）与健康之间的新兴关系。化学感觉的变化（遗传的或病理性的）影响食物的感觉特性，以及与吸烟和饮酒有关的感觉。饮食、吸烟和饮酒是多种疾病的危险因素，包括肥胖、心血管疾病和某些癌症。理解化学感觉变异和健康的关键是能够严格关联患有这些疾病的患者群体的化学感觉表型和基因型。一旦所需的基础设施到位，将通过研究所的P50和R01机制寻求对实际研究的支持。我们已经在为中心的临床研究项目奠定基础方面取得了重大进展。琳达·巴托舒克博士加入了佛罗里达大学的教职员工，帮助计划和实施临床研究项目，使用新开发的和适当的心理物理缩放方法。我们已经建立了UF味觉和嗅觉诊所，在那里一组临床医生看到有化学感觉疾病的病人。我们已经建立了合作与适当的遗传学，生物统计学和营销人员在UF。我们已经与佛罗里达大学以外的潜在合作者进行了初步的对话，以分享我们在佛罗里达大学开发的技术和能力。虽然大学提供了适度的启动资金来开展临床试验项目，其中一些项目目前正在进行中，但我们缺乏足够的内部资金来实施化学感觉临床研究项目成功所需的关键基础设施。具体而言，我们建议：(1)建立一个具有基因分型和统计遗传学优势的化学感觉遗传学新核心；(2)利用新的心理物理工具设计一个化学感觉功能（表型）临床评估的新方案；(3)建立一个新的符合HIPAA的生物统计和数据管理核心；(4)建立一个新的符合HIPAA的患者和受试者招募和管理核心。虽然该项目是佛罗里达大学的常驻项目，但我们的目的是将其作为一个“虚拟中心”，在这里我们可以轻松安全地与我们的国内和国际化学感官同事共享我们创建的基础设施和研究成果。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Support is requested to establish the feasibility of and then implement four infrastructural components for the expanding Chemosensory Clinical Research Program of the University of Florida's Center for Smell and Taste. The Program focuses on the clinically important, emerging relationship between chemosensory dysfunction (taste, retronasal olfaction) and health. Variation in chemosensation (genetic or pathological) affects the sensory properties of foods as well as the sensations associated with smoking and alcohol intake. Diet, smoking, and alcohol intake are risk factors for a variety of disorders including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. Key to understanding chemosensory variation and health is the ability to rigorously correlate the chemosensory phenotype and genotype of patient populations who suffer from these disorders. Support for the actual research to be addressed once the requested infrastructure is in place will be sought through the Institute's P50 and R01 mechanisms. We have already made significant progress in laying the foundation for the Center's Clinical Research Program. Dr. Linda Bartoshuk has joined the faculty at UF to help plan and implement clinical research projects using newly developed and appropriate psychophysical scaling methodologies. We have established the UF Taste and Smell Clinic, where a team of clinicians see patients with chemosensory complaints. We have established collaborations with the appropriate genetics, biostatistical, and marketing personnel at UF. We have had preliminary conversations with potential collaborators outside of UF to share the technologies and capabilities we develop at UF. While the University has provided modest start up funds to conduct clinical pilot projects, several of which are now underway, we lack adequate intramural funding to implement the key infrastructure required to make the Chemosensory Clinical Research Program a success. Specifically, we propose to: (1) establish a novel core dedicated to chemosensory genetics with strengths in genotyping and statistical genetics, (2) design a novel protocol using new psychophysical tools for the clinical assessment of chemosensory function (phenotype), (3) establish a novel HIPAA compliant biostatistics and data management core, and (4) establish a novel HIPAA compliant patient and subject recruitment and management core. While the Program is resident at UF, our intent is for it to function as a 'virtual center' whereby we can easily and securely share the infrastructure we generate and the research it produces with our national and international chemosensory colleagues.