Research Interests:

The sense of taste is critical for conveying information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus of which we consume (electrolytes, carbohydrates and proteins) or reject (toxins). Thus, the delicate discrimination of sapid stimuli requires coding neural activation differentially into unique perceptual taste qualities. I am currently interested in how taste information is affected by temperature, monosodium salts, ion channel specificity, and the role of intracellular pH in sour taste transduction.

Reasons for Selecting Florida State University

The Neuroscience program has a long history of research in sensory systems and a very respectable reputation in the chemoreceptive sciences.

Publications

• Breza, JM, Curtis KS, and Contreras RJ. Temperature Modulates Taste Responsiveness and Stimulates Gustatory Neurons in the Rat Geniculate Ganglion. J. Neurophysiol., 95: 674-685, 2006. PDF

Abstracts / Posters

• Breza, JM, KS Curtis, and RJ Contreras. Chemical and thermal responses of gustatory neurons in the geniculate ganglion. Chemical Senses (Abstr.) 30: A25, 2004.
• Breza, JM, KS Curtis, and RJ Contreras. Responses of gustatory neurons in the geniculate ganglion to L-MSG and linoleic acid. Chemical Senses (Abstr.) 30: A93, 2005
• Breza, JM, KS Curtis, and RJ Contreras. Temperature modulates behavioral responses to sucrose taste in the rat. Chemical Senses (Abstr.), in press.