University of Florida Chemosensory Clinical Research Program

描述(由申请者提供)：请提供支持，以确定佛罗里达大学嗅觉与味觉中心扩大化学感觉临床研究计划的可行性，并随后实施四个基础设施组件。该计划侧重于化学感觉功能障碍(味觉、鼻后嗅觉)和健康之间重要的、新出现的关系。化学感觉的变化(遗传的或病理的)影响食物的感官特性以及与吸烟和饮酒有关的感觉。饮食、吸烟和饮酒是各种疾病的危险因素，包括肥胖、心血管疾病和一些癌症。了解化学感觉变异和健康的关键是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的能力。一旦要求的基础设施到位，将通过研究所的P50和R01机制寻求对要处理的实际研究的支持。我们已经在为该中心的临床研究计划奠定基础方面取得了重大进展。琳达·巴托舒克博士加入了密歇根大学的教师队伍，使用新开发的适当的心理物理测量方法来帮助计划和实施临床研究项目。我们已经建立了UF味觉和气味诊所，在那里，一个临床医生团队为有化学感觉投诉的患者看病。我们已经与UF适当的遗传学、生物统计学和营销人员建立了合作关系。我们已经与UF以外的潜在合作伙伴进行了初步对话，分享我们在UF开发的技术和能力。虽然该大学提供了少量的启动资金来开展临床试验项目，其中几个项目目前正在进行中，但我们缺乏足够的校内资金来实施使化学感觉临床研究计划成功所需的关键基础设施。具体地说，我们建议：(1)建立一个具有基因分型和统计遗传学优势的新的化学感觉遗传学核心；(2)使用新的心理物理工具设计一个新的方案，用于临床评估化学感觉功能(表型)；(3)建立一个新的符合HIPAA标准的生物统计学和数据管理核心；(4)建立一个新的符合HIPAA标准的患者和受试者招募和管理核心。虽然该计划驻留在UF，但我们的目的是使其发挥‘虚拟中心’的作用，使我们能够轻松、安全地与我们的国内和国际化学传感同事共享我们生成的基础设施及其生成的研究。

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.