Smell-receptor sensors to find body-signaling molecules
Olfactory receptor-based sensors for biomedical applications
Researchers are building sensors from human smell receptors to find the natural molecules that switch on those receptors in body tissues, which could help people with conditions linked to those receptors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11322581 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses sensors made from human olfactory receptors to test many chemicals and record which ones activate receptors that are also found in non-nose tissues. The team will generate large, high-quality datasets of receptor-ligand pairs and train machine learning models to predict ligands for orphan receptors. Identified ligands will be used to study how those receptors affect tissue processes like sperm movement and muscle repair. The work is laboratory-based and may use cell systems or tissue samples to map receptor pathways rather than offering direct treatments to participants.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with conditions affecting tissues that overexpress these olfactory receptors (for example fertility or muscle-regeneration problems) or who can provide tissue samples may be relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People with health issues unrelated to tissues that express these receptors or those seeking immediate treatment are unlikely to benefit directly from this laboratory-focused project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new biological pathways and lead to diagnostics or first-in-class therapies for conditions tied to these receptors.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior studies have identified ligands for individual ectopic olfactory receptors, but combining receptor-based sensors with large-scale machine learning to deorphanize many receptors is a relatively new and growing approach.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Georgia Institute of Technology — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Peralta-Yahya, Pamela — Georgia Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Peralta-Yahya, Pamela
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.