ECRO 2026: Where Sensory Science Meets the Billion-Dollar Question
What a great week at ECRO 2026 in Paris! With a packed scientific program, inspiring discussions, and a vibrant community, the conference once again demonstrated why chemosensory science continues to be such a fascinating field.
The program showcased the breadth and rapid development of chemosensory science. Keynotes by Sophie Steculorum on sensory regulation of metabolism, Antonella Di Pizio on AI for flavor innovation, and Joel Mainland on “Digitizing olfaction: predicting mixture character from chemical structure” highlighted exciting advances in understanding, modeling, and predicting sensory perception, including the incredible progress made in predicting odor perception from mixtures and their components.
Several other NOSE members contributed to the program as well: Jasper de Groot as presenter to the “Studying the Chemistry of Human Social Olfaction” symposium, Ilja Croijmans as virtual chair of “Olfaction for Interaction in Future Technologies,” and Monique Smeets as discussion panel member to “Turning Chemosensory Basic Science into Innovation from Industry.” Ekaterina Rzhevskaia, a PhD student in Radboud University, presented the results of the study on the influence of body mass on sensory experience and its linguistic expression in collaboration with fellow NOSE members Ilja Croijmans and Laura Speed, and Margot van Mulken.
Other stimulating symposia explored topics ranging from fatty taste and trigeminal sensations to GLP-1, digital tools for smell assessment and treatment, and the temporal dynamics of olfactory perception. The latter offered a particularly nice reminder that an odor experience unfolds over time: it is not simply a snapshot, but more like a Polaroid gradually revealing its image. A particular highlight was the symposium “Reimagining psychiatry through computational chemosensation,” chaired by Khushbu Agarwal and Thomas Cleland, which explored how computational approaches to smell and taste could open new perspectives on mental health and eating behavior.
The scientific program was complemented by a pre-conference visit to L’Oréal, where we got a fascinating glimpse into their research and innovation through five demonstrations on fragrance development and its application in beauty products. Being in Paris, the city perfectly showcased the full spectrum of flavor sensations, from rich cheeses and complex wines to delicate macarons, with textures ranging from soft and sticky to wonderfully crunchy. A coffee tasting with Janice Wang and Zuzanna Dedyk added yet another layer, offering a glimpse into sensory expertise beyond academia, approached with a scientific eye. After a week spent discussing, quite literally, what are some of the billion-dollar questions surrounding sensory perception, nutrition, health, and behavior, we’re already looking forward to meeting again next year in Stockholm.
And then there was some very special news: Sanne Boesveldt was honored to be elected President of ECRO for 2026–2028. She looks forward to working with the board and shaping the future of chemosensory science. Stay tuned!
