# Covid-related changes in Taste Epithelium

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · 2020 · $191,384

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Disruption of the sense of taste is a common feature of COVID-19. The proposed supplement will investigate
potential histopathological changes in taste buds and the surrounding epithelium of the tongue in patients who
have lost their sense of taste during COVID-19. Biopsies of fungiform papillae will be obtained from a taste
center in Germany which shall conduct psychophysical testing prior to sampling 4 fungiform papillae from
patients recovering from COVID-19 – either with or without taste loss. We will analyze these samples
molecularly and histologically to test for presence of residual virus and for changes in taste bud number,
morphology or cellular composition.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10175313
- **Project number:** 3R01DC014728-05S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- **Principal Investigator:** Thomas E Finger
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $191,384
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-07-01 → 2021-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10175313

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10175313, Covid-related changes in Taste Epithelium (3R01DC014728-05S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10175313. Licensed CC0.

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