Our lab has two major areas of study: we examine (1) the neurophysiological, morphological, and behavioral development of the taste system, and (2) injury induced degeneration and regeneration in the peripheral and central gustatory system. Specific projects focus on environmental, immune, and physiological factors affecting the developing and regenerating taste system, salt taste transduction, and the neural coding of taste information in peripheral and central gustatory neurons.

Representative Publications:

Skyberg, R., Sun, C., and  Hill, D. L. 2020. Selective Removal of Sodium Salt Taste Disrupts the Maintenance of Dendritic Architecture of Gustatory Relay Neurons in the Mouse Nucleus of the Solitary Tract. eNeuro, 7(5), ENEURO.0140–20.2020–16.

Sun, C., Krimm, R.F., and D.L. Hill. 2018. Maintenance of Mouse Gustatory Terminal Field Organization is Dependent on BDNF at Adulthood. Journal of Neuroscience, 38:6873-6887.

Dvoryanchikov, G., Hernandex, D., Roebber, J.K., Hill, D.L., Roper, S.D., and N. Chaudhari. 2017. Transcriptomes and neurotransmitter profiles of classes of gustatory and somatosensory neurons in the geniculate ganglion. Nature Communications, 8:760. Doi:10.1038/s41467-017-01095-1. 

Sun C., Hummler E., and D.L. Hill. 2017. Selective Deletion of Sodium Salt Taste during Development Leads to Expanded Terminal Fields of Gustatory Nerves in the Adult Mouse Nucleus of the Solitary Tract. Journal of Neuroscience, 37: 660-672.

Skyberg, R., Sun, C., and D.L. Hill. 2017. Maintenance of mouse gustatory terminal field organization Is disrupted following selective removal of peripheral sodium salt taste activity at adulthood. Journal of Neuroscience, 37: 7619-7630. 

Meng, L., Huang, T., Sun, C., Hill, D.L., and R. Krimm. 2017. BDNF is required for taste axon regeneration following unilateral chorda tympani nerve section. Experimental Neurology, 293:27-42.