Chaperon was featured at the Czech European Researchers‘ Night on October 6th, 2023. This annual event, the traditional Czech European Researchers‘ Night, had taken place across various universities and research centers throughout the Czech Republic. In Prague, attendees had the opportunity to meet some of the nation’s researchers and engage in a program called „Some like it…BITTER,“ exploring the potential connection between cancer and our sense of taste.
At this event, visitors had a unique chance to sample five distinct flavors: sweet, sour, salty, umami, and an extraordinary bitter taste derived from PROP (6-n-propylthiouracil) and PTC (phenylthiocarbamide). The perception of these flavors as bitter primarily hinges on the TAS2R38 receptor. This receptor gene exists in two primary variants in humans, with one linked to heightened sensitivity to the bitter compounds PROP and PTC, and the other associated with reduced sensitivity. Attendees at the Researchers‘ Night could determine their genetic variant and explore its potential implications for their diet and overall health.
The Chaperon booth, located at the Charles University campus Albertov in Prague, welcomed all those interested in these intriguing taste-related connections. Tasting the flavours was of particular interest to the children. Our staff were busy all the time!
You can have a look at a few photos from the event in our gallery.
