How human smell receptors recognize odors
Structural dynamics of human odorant receptors in olfaction
This project looks at how human smell receptors change shape to recognize different odor molecules and what makes some receptors picky while others are broad responders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11238550 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will take high-resolution pictures of human odorant receptors using cryo-electron microscopy to see their structures. They will change specific receptor parts (mutagenesis) to test which features control odor selectivity. Computer-based molecular dynamics simulations will be used to watch how receptors move and become activated by odor molecules. The team will compare two major classes of human receptors and build on a recently solved human receptor structure to reveal how odors turn receptors "on."
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with smell loss, distorted smell, or other olfactory complaints who are willing to provide samples or take part in follow-up human studies would be the most relevant participants.
Not a fit: Patients whose conditions are unrelated to olfaction or whose smell loss is irreversible from long-standing structural damage may not see direct benefits from this basic-research project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could guide new diagnostics or treatments for smell disorders and help design molecules that target smell receptors more precisely.
How similar studies have performed: Structural studies of related G protein-coupled receptors have been successful, and the team recently solved the first experimental structure of a human odorant receptor, making this a timely extension of prior progress.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Manglik, Aashish — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Manglik, Aashish
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.