Science and Cooking Research Group
Journal Articles
Coblentz, M., Evans, J.D., Kothe, C.I., Mak, T., Rodríguez Valerón, N., Chwalek, P., Wejendorp, K., Garg, S., Pless, L., Mak, S., Sörensen, P.M., Jahn, L.J., and Ekblaw, A. (2025). Food fermentation in space: opportunities and challenges. iScience 28(4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2025.112189
Touceda Suarez, A., Touceda Suarez, M., Arboleya, J.C., and Sörensen, P.M. (2024). Harnessing Bacillus amyloliquefaciens for amazake production: Comparison with Aspergillus oryzae amazake for metabolomic characteristics, microbial diversity, and sensory profile. Foods 13(13): 2012. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13132012
Rodríguez Valerón, N., Kothe, C.I., Prado, D., Munk, R., and Sörensen, P.M. (2024). Silkworm (Bombyx mori) frass as a novel culinary ‘tea’ application in gastronomy: Aroma profile, volatile compounds, and consumer acceptance. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science 38:101057. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2024.101057
Hill-Maini, V., Villalobos Escobedo, J., Rodríguez Valerón, N., Olaizola Garcia, M., Prado Vasquez, D., Damayanti, I., Sörensen, P.M., Baidoo, E., Calheiros de Carvalho, A., Riley, R., Lipzen, A., Guifen, H., Yan, M., Haridas, S., Daum, C., Yoshinaga, Y., Ng, V., Grigoriev, I., Nuraida, L., Hanny Wijaya, C., Munk, R., Cruz Morales, P., and Keasling, J.D. (2024). Multi-omics characterization of oncom reveals by-product associated subpopulation of Neurospora intermedia for waste-to-food upcycling. Nature Microbiology 9(10), 2666-2683. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-024-01799-3
Maini Rekdal, V., Rodríguez Valerón, N., Olaizola, M., Prado, D., Sörensen, P.M., Munk, R., and Keasling, J. D. (2023). From lab to table: Expanding gastronomic possibilities with fermentation using the edible fungus Neurospora intermedia. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science 34:100826. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2023.100826
Rodríguez Valerón, N., Mak, T., Jahn, L.J., Arboleya, J.C., Sörensen, P.M. (2023). Derivation of kokumi γ-glutamyl peptides and volatile aroma compounds from fermented cereal processing by-products for reducing bitterness of plant-based ingredients. Foods 12(23), 4297. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12234297
Rodríguez Valerón, N., Mak, T., Jahn, L.J., Arboleya, J.C., Sörensen, P.M. (2023). Characterization of kokumi γ-glutamyl peptides and volatile aroma compounds in alternative grain miso fermentations. LWT Food Science and Technology 188:115356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2023.115356
Sörensen, P.M. (2023). Food fermentations and flavor: a curiosity and creativity driven approach for interdisciplinary and research-oriented science education. J. Chem. Ed. 100 (8), 2935-2946. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c01153
Taylor, B. W., Allf, B., Hopkins, S. R., Irwin, R. E., Jewell, M., Nevo, O., Nichols, L.M., Rodríguez Valerón, N., Evans, J.D., Sörensen, P.M., and Dunn, R.R. (2023). Nature’s chefs: Uniting the hidden diversity of food making and preparing species across the tree of life. Bioscience 73, 6, 408-421. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biad026
Jurado Gonzalez, P., Vega, C., Morato, R., Gonzalez, X., and Sörensen, P.M. (2022). The ribbon stage – shedding light onto an ill-defined culinary marker for whole egg foams. Food Biophysics 17, 397-408. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11483-022-09731-0
Espeso, J., Isaza, I., Lee, J. Y., Sörensen, P.M., Jurado, P., Avena-Bustillos, R., Olaizola, M., and Arboleya, J. C. (2021). Olive Leaf Waste Management. Front. Sustain. Food Syst. 5:660582. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.660582
Jurdao Gonzalez, P. and Sörensen, P.M. (2020). Characterization of Saponin Foam from Saponaria officinalis for Food Applications. Food Hydrocolloids 101:105541. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2019.105541
Mouritsen, O.G., Sörensen, P.M., Flore, R. (2019). Chefs meet scientists: Gastro-Science-Chef 2018. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science 17:100162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2019.100162
Barjamovic, G., Jurado Gonzalez, P., Graham, C., Lassen, A., Nasrallah, N., and Sörensen, P. M. (2019). The Ancient Mesopotamian Tablets as Cookbook. Lapham’s Quarterly, 12(2). https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/roundtable/ancient-mesopotamian-tablet-cookbook
Barjamovic, G., Jurado Gonzalez, P., Graham, C., Lassen, A. W., Nasrallah, N., and Sörensen, P. M. (2019) Food in Ancient Mesopotamia. Cooking the Yale Babylonian Culinary Recipes, in A. Lassen, E. Frahm and K. Wagensonner (Eds.) Ancient Mesopotamia Speaks. Highlights from the Yale Babylonian Collection. New Haven, CT: Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, 108-125. [link]
Sörensen, P.M., Mouritsen, O.G. (2019). Science Education and Public Understanding of Science via Food, Cooking, and Flavour. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science 15:36-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2018.11.006
Sörensen, P.M. and Canelas, D.A. (2017). Online Courses and Online Tools for Chemical Education. In P.M. Sörensen and D.A. Canelas (Eds.) Online Approaches to Chemical Education, Washington, DC: American Chemical Society/Oxford University Press, 1261:1-6. https://doi.org/10.1021/bk-2017-1261.ch001
Sörensen, P.M., Brenner, M.P. (2016). A dialogue between online and on-campus versions of the same course: Lessons from Harvard’s Science & Cooking course. In P.M. Sörensen (Ed.) Online chemistry education and the effect on the on campus classroom, Washington, DC: American Chemical Society/Oxford University Press, 1217:89-107. https://doi.org/10.1021/bk-2016-1217.ch008
Sörensen, P.M. (2016). New questions for chemistry education research. In P.M. Sörensen (Ed.) Online chemistry education and the effect on the on campus classroom, Washington, DC: American Chemical Society/Oxford University Press, 1217:1-5. [pdf] https://doi.org/10.1021/bk-2016-1217.ch001
Brenner, M.P., Sörensen, P.M. (2015). Biophysics of molecular gastronomy. Cell 161(1): 5-8. (leading edge commentary, featured article) [pdf] http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2015.03.002
Rowat, A.C., Sinha, N.N., Sörensen, P.M., Campas, O., Castells, P., Rosenberg, D., Brenner, M.P., Weitz, D.A. (2014). The kitchen as a physics classroom. Physics Education 49: 512-22. (front cover article) [pdf] https://doi.org/10.1088/0031-9120/49/5/512
Sörensen, P.M., Iacob, R.E., Engen, J.R., Brieher, W.M., and Eggert, U.S. (2012). The natural product cucurbitacin inhibits depolymerization of actin filaments. ACS Chemical Biology 21;7(9): 1502-8. https://doi.org/10.1021/cb300254s
Sörensen, P.M. (2011). Understanding the mechanism of cucurbitacin: A unique inhibitor of actin depolymerization. Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
Conference Proceedings
Kothe, C.I., Wolfe, B.E., Sörensen, P.M., and Evans, J.D. (2025). How do dairy communities adapt to a plant-based food niche? 39th International EFFoST Conference, Porto, Portugal.
Strangfeld, K., Sörensen, P.M. (2025). Food and Cooking: Inclusive Methods to “Do Science” and Draw on Student Assets, 2025 Annual International Conference, National Association for Research in Science Teaching, National Harbor, MD.
Touceda Suarez, A., Arboleya, J. C., Sörensen, P.M. (2024). Novel applications with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, 28th International ICFMH Conference FOOD MICRO, Burgos, Spain.
Kothe, C.I., Wolfe, B.E., Sörensen, P.M., and Evans, J.D.,(2024). Insights into developing plant-based cheese analogues, 28th International ICFMH Conference FOOD MICRO, Burgos, Spain.
Castro Zabarain, J. D., Carrero, C., and Sörensen, P.M. (2022) Growth optimization and characterization of biomass from filamentous fungi Ustilago maydis in submerged culture fermentation, Microbial Foods, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Rodriguez Valeron, N., Arboleya, J. C., and Sörensen, P.M. (2022) Evolution of g-glutamyl peptides responsible for the kokumi sensation during miso fermentation, Microbial Foods, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Jurado Gonzalez, P., Barjamovic, G., and Sörensen, P.M. (2022) Ancient bread: An experimental approach, Microbial Foods, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Mak, T., Rodriguez Valeron, N., Arboleya, J. C., Sörensen, P. M., Prado, D., Garg, S., Jahn, L. J. (2022) Understanding the evolution and ecology of microbial community function through genomic, metagenomic and phenotypic profiling of fungi-based ferments, Microbial Foods, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Espeso, J., Jurdao Gonzalez, P., Ortiz-Bustos, J., Pérez, Y., del Hierro, I., Arboleya, J. C., and Sörensen, P.M. (2022) Food as a vehicle for teaching chemistry: pedagogical aspects, International Congress of Science and Technology Teachers, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, April 2022.
Jurdao Gonzalez, P. and Sörensen, P.M. (2019) Interfacial properties and foaming behavior of saponin extract from Saponaria officinalis for dispersed food systems, World Congress on Food Science and Technology, Rome, Italy.
Sörensen, P.M. (2018) Teaching flavor chemistry and fostering curiosity with food fermentations, 256th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Boston, MA.
Maini Rekdal, V., Hollar, K.A., and Sörensen, P.M. (2018) SteamEd: Training educators in science and cooking, 256th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Boston, MA.
Sörensen, P.M. (2016) Teaching science in unconventional ways: Analysis of student learning in Harvard’s online Science and Cooking Course, 251st American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Diego, CA.
Sörensen, P.M. (2015) Online on-campus dialogue: Lessons from Harvard’s Science and Cooking Course, 249th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Denver, CO.
Sörensen, P.M. (2014) From classroom to MOOC and back: Three ways the residential version of Science & Cooking benefitted from the construction of a MOOC, 248th American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
Sörensen, P.M. (2014) Chemistry in the kitchen: How the online version of Science and Cooking made 90,000 chemists, 23rd IUPAC International Conference on Chemistry Education, Toronto, Canada.
Sörensen, P.M. (2014) Chemistry in the kitchen: How the online version of Science and Cooking made 90,000 chemists, Asian Conference on Technology in the Classroom, Osaka, Japan.
Sörensen, P.M., Iacob, R.E., Engen, J.R., and Eggert, U.S. (2009). Understanding the mechanism of cucurbitacin: A cytokinesis inhibitor and actin aggregator, Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, Konstanz, Germany.
Sörensen, P.M., Brieher, W.M., Kueh, H.Y., Maloney, K.N., Fujita, M., Clardy, J., and Eggert, U.S. (2007). Understanding the mechanism of cucurbitacin: A cytokinesis inhibitor and actin aggregator, Conference Program for Drug Action and Chemical Biology in the Post-Genomic Era, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.