The 22nd International Symposium on Molecular and Neural mechanisms
of Taste and Olfactory Perception (ISMNTOP XXII, YRUF XXII, AISCRIB XIII)
February 28 - March 1, 2026, @ Dental School Building 4F, Okayama University

 Hosted by:
   Department of oral physiology, Faculty of medicine, dentistry and pharmaceutical sciences, Okayama University
   (岡山大学大学院医歯薬学総合研究科口腔生理学分野)

 Organizer:
   Ryusuke Yoshida (Okayama Univ)
   Yuzo Ninomiya (Okayama Univ, Kyushu Univ, Monell Chemical Senses Center)
   

Program



----- February 28th, Saturday -----

■ Opening remarks: 12:50 - 13:00
Ryusuke Yoshida (Okayama Univ.)


■ Session 1: Peripheral Taste: 13:00 – 14:15
Chair: Atsuko Yamashita (Osaka univ), Keisuke Sanematsu (Kyushu Univ)

IS1-1 (13:00 - 13:25)
The possible molecular mechanisms for gum preference in common marmosets
Hiroo Imai (Kyoto University)

IS1-2 (13:25 - 13:50)
Sweet Taste in Folivory: Functional Diversity of the T1R2/T1R3 Receptor in Malagasy Primates
Akihiro Itoigawa (Osaka University)

IS1-3 (13:50 - 14:15)
Prox1 maintains taste bud structure via inhibition of apoptosis
Hirohito Miura (Kagoshima University)


■ Special lecture 1: 14:30 – 15:10
Chair: Ryusuke Yoshida (Okayama Univ)

SL1 (14:30 – 15:10)
More than sour: the many faces of OTOP1
Emiry Liman (University of Southern California)


■ Session 2: Umami: 15:20 – 17:00
Chair: Takashi Kondoh (Kindai Univ), Ken Iwatsuki (Tokyo Univ Agri)

IS2-1 (15:20 – 15:45)
Non-human primate taste organoids reveal umami responsiveness and synergism
Ken Iwatsuki (Tokyo University of Agriculture)

IS2-2 (15:45 - 16:10)
Evaluation of umami taste in Japanese participants: enhancement by 5’-ribonucleotides and suppression by lactisole
Takashi Kondoh (Kindai University)

IS2-3 (16:10 – 16:35)
Involvement of GPR91 in the perception of the umami-like shellfish taste of succinate
Seiji Kitajima (Ajinomoto)

IS2-4 (16:35 – 17:00)
Diversity of nutrient sensation in the gut
Shih-Hua Chou (Kyushu University)


■ Poster session: 17:00 – 18:15

■ Bus transportation: 18:30

■ Short Talk Session and Social Gathering: 19:00 – 21:00


----- March 1st, Sunday ----

■ Session 3: Olfaction: 9:00 – 10:45
Chair: Izumi Fukunaga (OIST), Takeshi Imai (Kyushu Univ)

IS3-1 (9:00 - 9:25)
Smelling Adrenaline in the Water: Olfactory Responses to Biogenic Amines in Zebrafish
Ling Fei Tee (RIKEN CBS)

IS3-2 (9:25 - 9:50)
Hierarchy in the frontal cortex in context-dependent olfactory decision-making
Izumi Fukunaga (OIST)

IS3-3 (9:50 - 10:15)
Granule Cell Plasticity and Olfactory Learning
Itaru Imayoshi (Kyoto University)

IS3-4 (10:15 - 10:45)
Visualization of odor space and quality with 2D gas sensor
Kenshi Hayashi (Kyushu University)


■ Special lecture 2: 11:00 – 11:40
Chair: Izumi Fukunaga (OIST), Takeshi Imai (Kyushu Univ)

SL2 (11:00 – 11:40)
An odor patch foraging task to study learning and decision making
Cindy Poo (Allen Institute)


■ Lunch and Poster: 11:40 - 13:00


■ Session 4: The 13th Asian International Symposium on Chemo-Reception and Ingestive Behavior (AISCRIB XIII): 13:00 – 14:55
Chair: Akiyuki Taruno (Kyoto Univ/ Kyoto Pref Univ Med), Seok Jun Moon (Yonsei Univ)

IS4-1 (13:00 - 13:30)
Regional, cell-type, and modal specification of taste bud organoids
Yong Taek Jeong (Korea University)

IS4-2 (13:30 – 14:00)
Brain mechanisms of blood glucose regulation mediated by sweetness and prediction
Chitoku Toda (Kumamoto University)

IS4-3 (14:00 – 14:30)
Brain-body interactions underlying emotion, memory, and glucose homeostasis
Takuya Sasaki (Tohoku University)

IS4-4 (14:30 - 14:55)
Genetic dissection of the class I odorant receptor gene cluster in mice
Tetsuo Iwata (Institute of Science Tokyo)


■ Session 5: Taste 2: 15:10 – 16:50
Chair: Keiko Yasumatsu (Tokyo Dent Jr College), Tadashi Inui (Hokkaido Univ)

IS5-1 (15:10 - 15:35)
Circadian clock-gated cell renewal controls time-dependent changes in taste sensitivity
Toru Matsu-ura (Kansai Medical University)

IS5-2 (15:35 - 16:00)
A potential role of GPRC5C in sugar sensing and regulating glucose metabolism
Shingo Takai (Kyushu University)

IS5-3 (16:00 - 16:25)
Regulation of nutrient-specific feeding behaviors through the nodose petrosal ganglion
Mitsuri Takeshima (Kyushu University)

IS5-4 (16:25 - 16:50)
Neural mechanism of specific appetite-induced food revaluation
Ken-ichiro Nakajima (Nagoya University)


■ Closing remarks 16:50-
Mamiko Ozaki (Kobe Univ, Nara Women's Univ)



■ Poster session

ISP01
Effects of obesity and GLP-1 receptor agonists on taste-guided licking behavior in mice
Junko Inoko (Nagoya University)

ISP02
Functional crosstalk between olfactory receptors and TRPV1 in integration of chemosensory responses
Sakura Moriyama (Kyoto University)

ISP03
Application and Validation of a Photoactivatable Cre-loxP System for Spatiotemporal Gene Manipulation in Mouse Taste Buds
Yu Zuo (Okayama University)

ISP04
Taste modulation of L-histidine: the liaison of sweet and bitter
Takashi Kondoh (Kindai University)

ISP05
Lactisole reduces the perception of sweet and umami tastes in Japanese participants
Kana Tanaka (Kindai University)

ISP06
A taste bud organoid based biosensor reveals cellular mechanisms of umami detection and synergy
Minbo Li (Dalian Polytechnic University)

ISP07
Systematic Evaluation of AAV Capsids and Delivery Routes for Efficient Targeting of Primary Visceral Sensory Neurons
Su Young Ki (Korea University)

ISP08
Establishment of Anterior Tongue-Derived Taste Bud Organoids
Min Gyeong Lee (Korea University)

ISP09
Amiloride-Sensitive Taste Responses to Sodium Ascorbate and Post-Ingestive Suppression of Intake in Ascorbate-Replete ODS Rats
Toshiaki Yasuo (Asahi University)

ISP10
Capsaicin Enhances Chorda Tympani Nerve and Behavioral Responses to Sugars via T1Rs-Independent Pathway in Mice
Shusuke Iwata (Asahi University)

ISP11
Sweet OFF responses of sour cells: Cellular substrates underlying the aftertaste of artificial sweeteners
Geehyun Lee (Seoul National University)

ISP12
The chorda tympani nerve responses and preferences for different concentration of coffee mixed with thickeners in rats
Jun Sakai (Asahi University)

ISP13
Gut-brain axis mediates Vitamin B1 specific appetite to elevate the preference of innately aversive diets
Hina Nishii (Nagoya University)

ISP14
‘Win-win’ defence of Brassicaceae seedlings by targeting insect olfaction and taste systems
Mamiko Ozaki (Kobe University)

ISP15
Comparing Bilateral and Unilateral Olfactory Recognition: Neural Correlates of Odor Recognition via EEG
Yuyeon Lee (DGIST)

ISP16
Effects of Olfactory Stimuli on Working Memory Performance and Prefrontal Cortex Activation
Yujin Ahn (DGIST)

ISP17
Environmental Insults Disrupt the Olfactory Neuroimmune Axis and Brain Function
Seung-Jun Yoo (Hanyang University)