PROGRAM

Welcome to the official website for the 2020 International Symposium on Olfaction and Taste!

“ISOT”, as it’s fondly called, convenes every four years and unites the chemosensory research communities in North America (Association for Chemoreception Sciences; AChemS), Europe (European Chemoreception Research Organization; ECRO), and Japan (The Japanese Association for the Study of Taste and Smell; JASTS). The first ISOT meeting was held in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1962. The meeting currently rotates every 4 years between sites in the US, Europe, and Japan, with the most recent meeting (ISOT XVII) in Yokohama, Japan, in 2016.

We are excited to announce that ISOT XVIII will take place June 20-24, 2020, in Portland, Oregon, at the Portland Convention Center.

A few words about our host city:

Portland is an “undiscovered gem” in the Pacific Northwest. It is easily accessible, with direct flights and connections to most major airports in the US, and non-stop international flights to Canada, Germany, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. It is a highly walkable city, with numerous pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, and where bicycles seem more numerous than automobiles. There are food walking tours, beer walking tours, historical walking tours, donut walking tours… you get the idea. Top-quality food carts are in abundance, and handcrafted spirits can be sampled in Southeast Portland’s “Distillery Row.” If ISOT hasn’t completely fulfilled your scientific urges, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is great with family by day (submarine included), or try OMSI After Dark if you’re over 21! The Japanese Garden in the West Hills of Portland includes an authentic Japanese Tea House, cherry blossoms, and spectacular views of Mt. Hood. Or for more outdoor thrills, try Forest Park, Tom McCall Waterfront Park, or the Lan Su Chinese Garden. Powell’s Books, a city landmark, is proof that in Portland, the written word – on paper, parchment, and pulp – is alive and well. Finally, for those of you who follow the television show, “Portlandia,” let’s just say that Portland’s vibrant culture, quirky charm, and weird cool is no exaggeration, in a good way.

Please check this website for updates regarding information about symposia and abstract submission dates, meeting registration, hotel details, etc.

Jay A. Gottfried, MD, PhD
ISOT 2020 General Chair