# Characterizing SARS-CoV-2 infection of human taste cells in culture

> **NIH NIH R01** · MONELL CHEMICAL SENSES CENTER · 2020 · $174,487

## Abstract

Abstract
Relatedness of Supplement Aim to Parent Grant
In the parent grant, we use cultured human taste (HBO) cells, pioneered at Monell by Co-Investigator Hakan
Ozdener, to probe the metabolic sweet taste signaling pathway. HBO cells provide a useful model for probing
taste signaling in culture, but they have also been shown useful for investigating the pathophysiology of certain
neurotrophic viral diseases (e.g. Zika virus; see Ozdener et al., 2020). Using HBO cells to accomplish the
Supplement Aim will advance our understanding of the pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses that
adversely affect taste and olfaction. Although many studies have reported taste and olfactory loss in individuals
with COVID-19 disease, the underlying mechanisms and cellular effects in taste cells are not well understood.
Due to changes in taste function in patients with COVID-19, it will be of particular interest to the parent grant to
know if the subset of sweet taste cells is susceptible to infection by SARS-CoV-2.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10177462
- **Project number:** 3R01DC014286-05S1
- **Recipient organization:** MONELL CHEMICAL SENSES CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Paul A. S Breslin
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $174,487
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2015-12-01 → 2020-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10177462

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10177462, Characterizing SARS-CoV-2 infection of human taste cells in culture (3R01DC014286-05S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10177462. Licensed CC0.

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