Discover this month’s highlights, featuring insightful exchanges on scientific advances in the field of olfaction!
Interview with Nathalie Mandairon on the GDRO3 Meetings
The GDR O3 – Odorant, Odor, Olfaction Research Group – is a scientific network created in 2015 under the CNRS. Its annual congress, bringing together experts in chemistry, biology, neuroscience, humanities, and industry, aims to foster exchange and innovation.
Per Fumum Endowment Fund: “Nathalie, could you introduce yourself and explain your role in GDRO3?”
Nathalie Mandairon: “I am a research director at CNRS, co-directing a team called Neuropop at the Lyon Neuroscience Research Center with Moustafa Bensafi, focusing on the neuroplasticity of olfactory perception. As a neuroscientist, my interest lies in the neural bases of odor perception. I also direct this research group, a role I find fascinating. My mission is to coordinate and facilitate interactions among researchers drawn to the vast world of odors.”
Per Fumum Endowment Fund: “What is the focus of the 2024 edition?”
Nathalie Mandairon: “This year’s novelty is the integration of a masterclass before the classic GDRO program of lectures. Set in Nice, the masterclasses focused on the perfume world, with experts like chemist Xavier Fernandez, a perfumer, and myself as a neurobiologist. This provided students and interested researchers with foundational knowledge to understand the perception of perfumes and their creation, covering both scientific and applied perspectives.”
Per Fumum Endowment Fund: “What challenges does GDRO3 face today?”
Nathalie Mandairon: “We’re facing financial challenges since CNRS has decided not to fund the group after two terms. This means we now need to organize independently and secure funding to host these meetings and bring our members together. There are also positive challenges, such as enabling researchers to gather, develop new projects, and improve communication, particularly after the COVID-19 disruptions.”
Per Fumum Endowment Fund: “What are the emerging themes in olfactory research?”
Nathalie Mandairon: “That’s a broad question! At recent meetings, Hirac Gurden’s lecture on nutrition was particularly impactful. He highlighted the importance of olfactory research in the context of obesity- and diabetes-related conditions. This resonates with my own research on the perception of pleasant and unpleasant odors and how this perception can be altered. I am also collaborating with the psychiatric hospital in Lyon to study the impact of depression on olfactory perception.”
To read the full interview and learn more about olfactory research, click here.
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