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Associate Professor of Biological Science and Neuroscience Roberto Vincis. (Devin Bittner\/FSU College of Arts and Sciences)\t\t<\/p>\n\t\tAssociate Professor of Biological Science and Neuroscience Roberto Vincis. (Devin Bittner\/FSU College of Arts and Sciences)\t\t<\/p>\n
A Florida State University neuroscientist has earned a national award for research on gustation, the scientific term for the sense of taste, and how it shapes eating behavior.<\/p>\n
Associate Professor of Biological Science and Neuroscience Roberto Vincis<\/a> has earned the 2026 Ajinomoto Award for Young Investigators in Gustation from the Association for Chemoreception Sciences<\/a>, or AChemS, in recognition of his research into sensory systems with the aim to understand gustation\u2019s influence on eating behavior.<\/p>\n His work focuses on how taste influences what we eat, and it informs a wide range of topics, from how and why people develop eating disorders to why they may overconsume ultra-processed foods.<\/p>\n \u201cLearning how the brain integrates information from what we consume and experience really gets at the fundamental components of why some foods are good for us and others aren\u2019t,\u201d Vincis said. \u201cWinning this award validates that my lab\u2019s research is relevant and impactful because our peers recognize it as such.\u201d<\/p>\n Since 1998, the Ajinomoto Award has been conferred annually to an outstanding junior scientist and emerging leader in gustation. Its awarding body, AChemS, is the preeminent organization dedicated to the advancement of chemoreception science, which includes smell and taste. Vincis is the first from FSU to earn this honor, which is supported by the Ajinomoto Group, a multi-billion-dollar food and biotechnology corporation credited with developing the first umami-flavored seasoning in 1909.<\/p>\n Vincis was presented with the honor Wednesday during the annual AChemS conference in St. Petersburg, Florida. As an awardee, he will also deliver a lecture at the conference that broadly covers the Vincis Laboratory\u2019s<\/a> investigation of the neurological mechanisms behind the role of taste in eating behavior and preferences.<\/p>\n \u201cDr. Vincis\u2019 research investigates the neural circuits and computational processes of brain regions that regulate food intake and shape dietary preferences, which are key factors in understanding eating disorders,\u201d said Lisa Eckel, director of FSU\u2019s Program in Neuroscience. \u201cThe chemical senses have long been a hallmark of excellence within the program, and this recognition further elevates the stature of this distinguished community of scientists.\u201d<\/p>\n Humans\u2019 perception of taste generally falls into five categories \u2014 sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami \u2014 each triggered by specific chemicals. For example, ingesting alkaloid molecules like the caffeine in coffee and dark chocolate will leave a bitter taste in your mouth. Chewing adds a layer of sensation, as the action releases gaseous chemicals, which then hit the nose. Somatosensory components like temperature and texture also factor into what and how much someone consumes.<\/p>\n \u201cAll of these sensory modalities give rise to the percept we call flavor, and our daily consumption is highly dependent on this initial sensation,\u201d said Vincis, who, in addition to traditional research methods, employs machine learning techniques to analyze neural activity from different brain regions. \u201cNeurons don\u2019t speak in English, so by decoding neurons\u2019 specific language as they receive sensory information, we can understand how certain eating behaviors develop.\u201d<\/p>\n Theoretically, people eat when they are hungry, stop when they feel full and only select nutritious foods and beverages. Examining the reality of humans\u2019 experiences reveals a different picture that includes the impact of ultra-processed foods and wide-ranging public health concerns such as obesity and eating disorders. Vincis\u2019 work strives to explain this gap in biological theory and real-world occurrences.<\/p>\n \u201cWe use the term \u2018maladaptive\u2019 to describe nutrition-related behaviors that will cause long-term problems,\u201d Vincis said. \u201cFor example, ultra-processed foods can lead to overeating because they are packaged with very rewarding olfactory and sensory cues. When we taste these foods, we feel good, but they are devoid of nutrients. This is how sensory information from your oral cavity can hijack your brain, similar to the way a drug hijacks neural reward pathways for dopamine to drive addiction.\u201d<\/p>\n Ultra-processed foods like soft drinks and many packaged snack options are industrially manufactured and include a high number of ingredients not found in a common household kitchen. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, approximately 70 percent of packaged products in the nation\u2019s food supply could be considered ultra-processed, and children get more than 60 percent of their calories from such foods. Due to their addictiveness, caloric density and lack of nutrients, the prevalence of ultra-processed foods is known by nutrition scientists, epidemiologists and major health organizations such as FDA to be a significant contributor to rising rates of obesity, heart disease and cancer, among others.<\/p>\n \u201cThe National Institutes of Health and Food and Drug Administration consider research on nutrition-related behavior to be a public priority at this stage,\u201d Vincis said. \u201cEarning the Ajinomoto Award means we are on the right track and is likely to help us secure future funding and fellowships so that we may continue our work.\u201d<\/p>\n Florida State University has been a prime contributor to chemosensory research for more than 50 years and has served as a home base for generations of the field\u2019s leaders including the late James C. Smith \u2014 a chemosensory research legend, FSU Robert O. Lawton Professor and alumnus of the FSU Department of Psychology \u2014 who was among the cofounders of AChemS in 1978.<\/p>\n To learn more about Vincis\u2019 research and its scientific impact, visit the Vincis Laboratory website<\/a>. Visit the FSU Program in Neuroscience website<\/a> to learn more about this \u00a0interdisciplinary program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Associate Professor of Biological Science and Neuroscience Roberto Vincis. 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