The Chemosensory Perception Laboratory at the University of California - San Diego places unique emphasis on how people perceive chemicals and how chemicals exert short-term effects on people. Scientists and physicians in the lab devote themselves to the workings of the senses of smell and taste, and to physiological and psychological consequences of chemical stimulation.

Smells and tastes can contribute to feelings of well-being and to healthful living. They can also contribute to feelings of ill-health and to disorders. Some of our research concerns how people perceive flavors. Some of it concerns how people discriminate, identify, and remember aromas and fragrances. Some of it concerns indoor air pollution, sick building syndrome, and chemical sensitivity. Some of it concerns odor warnings, as they pertain to LP gas or natural gas. The diversity of interests and projects changes as the lab grows in the fertile surroundings of one of the world's leading research universities and as students and visiting scientists help to carve out new niches.

Since the Chemosensory Perception Laboratory falls within the Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in the Department of Surgery, it has a special commitment to understanding disorders of smell and taste. Members of the laboratory participate in the Nasal Dysfunction Clinic at UCSD, where they perform tests of smell and taste, of allergies, and of airway functioning. Hundreds of patients per year visit this clinic for the diagnosis and treatment of losses or distortions of smell and taste.