About this talk
Jennifer Pluznick and her lab at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine study the role of our body’s olfactory signaling system. While we generally think of olfactory receptors as being found in the nose, they are actually found throughout the body—from our muscles to our blood vessels. Watch Jennifer’s 2016 TEDMED Talk to learn how studying the full body olfactory system can shape our understanding of important bodily processes and human physiology.
About Jennifer Pluznick
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Jennifer Pluznick is a physiologist and a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine known for her groundbreaking research on how the body’s systems communicate. While studying the kidneys, she made a surprising discovery: they have scent receptors, the same type of receptors found in the nose. This unexpected finding became the foundation of her research. She is now a leading expert on how the body uses these receptors to perform important functions. Her lab has since found a possible connection between the bacteria in your gut and how your kidneys manage blood pressure. Jennifer’s work shows us that parts of the body we thought were unrelated are actually communicating in complex and fascinating ways. She is a pioneer in her field, using her unique discoveries to provide a new understanding of how our organs work and to help find new ways to treat diseases like high blood pressure. Her research continues to uncover surprising secrets of the human body.
