Texture based impressions significantly influences the mouthfeel and sensory perception of food intake. While chemosensory induced mechanisms are well known, the contribution arising from physical or mechanical attributes towards mouthfeel has been less explored.
Mechanoreceptors along with chemoreceptors tend to contribute to the overall mouthfeel. Deducing such mechanotransduction and its related properties can explain signal transduction better.
To answer above queries, two broad approaches are being pursued. First on a single molecule level where biomimetic system called nanodiscs is being developed to probe the protein’s activity and its role in mechanoreception. It is then compared on a cellular level to confirm whether the proteins act alone or in unison to explore its interplay. The proteins currently under investigation are Piezo and TRP channels.
The gained scientific information can help in better development of food formulation that is not only limited to better nutrition but also increased satiation and provide better overview on the oral perception of food.
| Since 2023 | Postdoctoral Researcher, Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the TU Munich |
| 2021-2022 | Postdoctoral Researcher, Institute of Physics, Kent State University, Ohio, USA |
| 2017-2021 | PhD graduate, Institute of Chemistry, University of Greifswald, Germany |
| 2014-2017 | MSc Biophysics, University of Ulm, Germany |
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