PTC Challenge – A Bitter Life? Discover Why! 🥦🧬
Why does broccoli taste intensely bitter to some people but not to others? The answer may lie in our genes!
The Croatian Natural History Museum invites you to a new interactive molecular biology workshop, “PTC Challenge – A Bitter Life? Discover Why!”, successfully tested and approved by students from the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology at the University of Zagreb.
Did you know that not everyone experiences bitterness in the same way? Differences in bitter taste perception are partly written in our DNA, and this workshop offers a unique opportunity to explore your own genetic predisposition to bitterness.
In the Croatian Natural History Museum’s DNA laboratory, you will isolate your own DNA and use PCR, restriction enzyme digestion and gel electrophoresis to identify which variants of the TAS2R38 gene, which encodes a bitter taste receptor, you carry. Together, we will explore how these genetic differences are associated with bitter taste perception and why broccoli can be a delight for some and a challenge for others.
The workshop is designed for curious adults interested in molecular biology who would like to gain hands-on experience with laboratory techniques used by scientists to study our genetic information.
Workshop dates and times
- Thursday, 5 November 2026 | 15:00–18:00
- Saturday, 7 November 2026 | 16:00–19:00
- Saturday, 14 November 2026 | 15:00–18:00
- Sunday, 22 November 2026 | 11:00–14:00
- Sunday, 13 December 2026 | 11:00–14:00
Practical information and registration
Venue: Croatian Natural History Museum, Demetrova 1, Zagreb – DNA Laboratory
Duration: 3 hours, including two breaks of approximately 20 minutes each
Participation fee: €5 per person, payable at the Museum’s reception desk immediately before the workshop
Age requirement: 18+ (adults only)
Registration: Places are limited and advance registration is required.
Discover what your genes reveal about your perception of bitterness and experience molecular biology first-hand!
Authors
dr. sc. Martina Podnar Lešić