Event
ECRO 2026: From Nutrient Sensing to Taste Perception | AXXSense
Marcel Winnig
Senior Director
AXXSense
Sabrina Corazza
SVP
Strategic BD AXXSense & APAC
How do chemical signals translate into biological responses?
At ECRO 2026 in Paris, AXXSense will explore this question from two different perspectives. Our team will contribute to the scientific program with a poster on GLP-1 secretion and an oral presentation on free fatty acid taste perception in the domestic cat.
ECRO 2026 will bring the chemosensory research community together under the theme “Chemosensory Innovation.” This year’s program will connect different sensory modalities, disciplines, and approaches across chemoreception research.
Can your sample induce GLP-1 secretion?
Enteroendocrine cells act as nutrient sensors in the gut. They detect dietary components through chemosensory GPCRs and taste receptors. In response, they release hormones that regulate processes such as digestion, appetite, and glucose metabolism.
Among these hormones, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) plays an important role in metabolic regulation.
At ECRO 2026, Marcel Winnig will present:
Curious to know if your sample is capable of inducing GLP-1 secretion?
AXXSense’s GLP-1 secretion assay provides a functional approach to identify and pharmacologically characterize stimuli that promote endogenous GLP-1 release.
The assay uses well-characterized intestinal L-cell models and has been validated with different stimuli. These include compounds acting through FFAR4/GPR120 and the bitter taste receptor TAS2R38.
As a result, the assay provides a valuable tool to investigate the connection between nutrient sensing, chemosensory receptor activation, and GLP-1 secretion.
What can free fatty acid perception tell us about feline taste?
Our second contribution to ECRO 2026 moves from gut nutrient sensing to taste perception in the domestic cat.
AXXSense will contribute to Symposium 4A with the oral presentation:
Free fatty acid taste perception of the domestic cat
17 September 2026 | 2:30 PM | Symposium 4A
The presentation will focus on free fatty acid taste perception and contribute to a deeper understanding of feline chemosensory biology.
The talk is presented together with and sponsored by Mars Petcare/Waltham.
Exploring taste at the receptor level
Understanding taste starts with the biological mechanisms that allow chemical stimuli to be detected.
AXXSense combines sensory biology, cell-based assays, automation, and high-throughput screening to investigate taste and chemosensory receptors.
Our capabilities include a complete platform covering all 26 human bitter taste receptors (hTAS2Rs) and key haplotypes. Functional cell-based assays enable receptor activation to be identified and bitterness to be investigated at the molecular level.
Beyond bitter taste, AXXSense offers specialized assays for sweet, umami, kokumi, salt, and fatty acid receptors. This broader portfolio supports the functional characterization of molecules across different areas of taste research.
Continue the conversation at ECRO 2026
Sabrina Corazza and Marcel Winnig will represent AXXSense in Paris from 15 to 18 September.
Whether your research involves taste receptors, nutrient sensing, GLP-1 secretion, or other aspects of chemosensory biology, ECRO 2026 is an opportunity to discuss your scientific questions directly with our team.
Meet us in Paris and discover how AXXSense can support your chemosensory research.