community (citizen) science and crowdsourcing participants (human subjects). These crowdsourced participants provide a diverse sample for collecting taste and genetics data, and typically spend about 30 minutes in the Lab during enrollments. Alternatively, the community scientists invest a much more significant amount of time; they volunteer five hours weekly to train and then to assist in all aspects of the Lab's research, including data collection, DNA extraction, and manuscript preparation. This case study featuring the GOT Lab's pilot project, the Bitter Study, highlights three key topics: the ability to replicate established findings in the taste field using a community science model; the learning experiences of participants; and best practices and recommendations for other institutions that might wish to develop and implement a similar bi-level community-science model. Here we present data to illustrate that both the scientific and educational goals of community science and crowdsourcing are attainable within the same working space.

The Genetics of Taste Lab is a community‐based lab studying human genetics at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. From 2009–2019, nearly 10,000 Museum guests have had the opportunity to become crowdsourced participants contributing phenotypic and genetic data to the lab’s taste and genetics research studies. This case study, presenting evaluation data collected during a Baseline study and during our Savory & Sour Study shows that museum guests both enjoy and value participating in authentic genetics research. By contributing quality data to advance scientists’ understanding of the genetics of taste, they are also learning specific details about the study topics and how those relate to their own lives. Highlighting the above case study and drawing upon our other studies as needed, we hope that our experience—both our successes and challenges—will be a resource for other institutions interested in implementing a crowdsourcing research model in human health.

No abstract