MONELL
2023-2024 ANNUAL REPORT
2023-2024
ANNUAL REPORT
Impacting world health through sensory science
The chemical senses – smell, taste, and internal chemoreception – connect us all to one another and to the world we live in. They play a critical role in regulating the complex systems that influence how we act and make us who we are. They are our sentinel systems for connecting us with the world we live in.
Connection and collaboration are the foundation of Monell’s success in bringing the science of the chemical senses to life to help solve the world’s health, societal, and environmental challenges. Collaborating richly and productively across scientific disciplines, Monell connects academia to industry, to clinicians, and to the science we need to collectively create solutions for improving health and well-being for us all.
This has been an exciting year of strategic growth, connection, and collaboration to translate Monell’s discoveries into real advances in world health.
This year brought new insights into ways to temporarily block the bitterness of medicines. Bitter taste is a major reason people around the world avoid taking their prescribed medicine. Imagine the impact on public health when we find a way to add these bitter-blockers to medications used to treat such global diseases as hepatitis B, HIV, or malaria, for example.
We learned much about the complex wiring between the gut and the brain that drives our eating and drinking behavior. Researchers discovered two distinct neural circuits that govern the effects of GLP1 agonists, a class that includes popular diabetes and obesity drugs like Ozempic®. Next generation obesity drugs that target these circuits to enhance weight loss while decreasing the side effect of nausea will soon be within our reach.
Our campaign to make smell and taste testing part of routine healthcare made great progress this year. We were honored to have the City Council of Philadelphia recognize Monell’s efforts and declare November Smell and Taste Testing Month, as well as convene the inaugural Toward Universal Chemosensory Testing consortium to create strategies for bringing smell and taste testing into doctors’ offices and clinics. Two research studies also confirmed the value of SCENTinel® – Monell’s rapid screening tool for detecting new-onset loss of smell – as a simple, quick, and inexpensive tool for testing smell loss in the population.
Our vision is a healthier world made possible by unlocking the mysteries of our senses. Thank you for connecting with our mission to advance discovery in the science of the chemical senses. Our Connections help ensure a healthier future for us all.
This has been an exciting year of strategic growth, connection, and collaboration to translate Monell’s discoveries into real advances in world health.
Monell’s leadership (L to R), Richard L. Berkman, Esq, Benjamin P.C. Smith, PhD, and David Macnair, PhD.
Benjamin P.C. Smith, PhD
Executive Director and President
David Macnair, PhD
Chair of the Board
Richard L. Berkman, Esq
Vice Chair of the Board
Bringing the world together
around chemosensory science
Connections
The Campaign for Universal Taste and Smell Testing
Danielle Reed, PhD
Our senses of taste and smell connect us to one another and to the world around us. They help us form social bonds, choose and enjoy the food and beverages we consume, and alert us to danger in the environment around us. But the loss of these vital senses can significantly reduce our quality of life and mental and nutritional health. Smell loss can also be an early symptom of many health concerns, including viral illness and neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.
That is why Monell is on a mission to bring smell and taste testing into routine medical care, to speed the diagnosis of chemosensory disorders and associated health problems, allowing earlier treatment and restoring quality of life.
In November, Monell and partners University of Florida, Ohio State University, Massachusetts General Hospital, the Smell and Taste Association of North America, and Thomas Jefferson University brought together more than 160 people with taste and smell disorders, scientists, clinicians, insurers, public health officials, and industry professionals for the Towards Universal Chemosensory Testing (TUCT) conference to advance the campaign. The group developed strategies and a roadmap for implementing routine smell and taste testing as part of healthcare in the United States. TUCT also inspired the launch of the Breakthrough Consortium for Olfactory Health, co-chaired by Monell Assistant Director Valentina Parma, PhD, and Duncan Boak, CEO of Fifth Sense, a patient advocacy group based in the United Kingdom. Coalition partners will work to establish evidence-based clinical guidelines and regulatory pathways to improve patient access to diagnosis and treatment for olfactory dysfunction.
Coinciding with TUCT, the City Council of Philadelphia recognized Monell’s contributions to improving public health by proclamation of November as Smell and Taste Testing Month in Philadelphia. Monell Executive Director Benjamin Smith, PhD, Chief Science Officer Danielle Reed, PhD, and postdoctoral fellow Patrice Hubert, PhD, RDN, presented testimony urging public health officials to adopt universal smell and taste testing as an important tool for health monitoring and preventative care.
(L to R) Valentina Parma, PhD; Nancy Rawson, PhD, MSc, PCPP; Patrice Hubert, PhD, RDN; Danielle Reed, PhD; Philadelphia City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, sponsor of the proclamation; Benjamin P.C. Smith, PhD; Jenifer Trachtman, Ahmed Barakat
Studying Mouthfeel to Improve Nutrition and Food Security
Mouthfeel – the physical sensations we perceive from food and beverages such as crunchiness, astringency, stickiness, and creaminess – plays a pivotal role in whether consumers accept or reject products. Understanding how mouthfeel contributes to the eating and drinking experience is essential for consumer liking of new healthier and sustainably produced foods, such as plant-based proteins, beverages with less sugar, and lower fat foods.
Monell is collaborating with partners in industry and academia in a three-year research consortium to better understand mouthfeel and advance new solutions for improving human nutrition and food security.
Partnering with food and beverage firms Danone, Diageo, and Mars Wrigley, Monell investigators Paul Wise, PhD, and Linda J. Flammer, PhD, are leading the research program. In the first phase of the study, they are exploring the intricacies of mouthfeel by having study participants sample simple beverage mixtures of fats and sweeteners and describe their perceptions. They are looking at associations between individual differences in sensitivity to the mouthfeel of these beverages and study participants’ differences in oral anatomy, genetics, and saliva. Collaborators at the University of Pennsylvania who are experts in rheology (the study of the flow of liquids) and oral tribology (the study of friction and lubrication) are integrating these physical measures to comprehensively characterize the beverages. This will give consortium researchers a better understanding of how the physics of drinking affect people’s perception of mouthfeel.
In addition, a panel of participants who are highly attuned to mouthfeel subtleties will help investigators tease out the nuances in sensory perception, knowledge that can be used to design products that consumers like with respect to mouthfeel.
Connecting the Next Generation to Scientific Opportunity
For more than four decades, Monell has been connecting high school and college students to career paths in the life sciences through its nationally recognized Monell Science Apprenticeship Program (MSAP). By fostering an interest in careers in biomedical science among young people from groups typically underrepresented in science, such as women, racial and ethnic minorities, and the economically disadvantaged, MSAP is helping to build a diverse life sciences workforce.
The eight-week summer program pairs students from across the Greater Philadelphia region with Monell researchers for an opportunity to actively participate in chemosensory research, scientific seminars, and mentoring. The 2023 program culminated in a Capstone Symposium where the cohort of 10 budding scientists presented their research projects. Philadelphia City Councilmember, 3rd District, Jamie Gauthier delivered the keynote address at the 2023 Symposium.
Monell is grateful for the generous, longstanding leadership support of Dr. James J. Albrecht. Many thanks to Monell Board Member Richard L. Berkman and Toni Seidl for establishing a family fund to support MSAP apprentices and for their commitment to the careers of individuals traditionally underrepresented in the sciences. Much gratitude also goes to the Brand Family for ongoing support of the Joseph Brand Memorial Fund that will fund MSAP apprentices for many years to come.
Dr. James Albright and Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (center) with the 2023 MSAP apprentices, August 2023.
Monell’s connections and partnerships
impact world health
(L to R) Ha Nguyen, PhD, Linda Flammer, PhD, Danielle Reed, PhD, Peihua Jiang, PhD
Research
Monell connects sensory science across many scientific disciplines, academia, and industry to solve the world’s health, societal, and environmental challenges. Its research during the last fiscal year is a shining example of these connections, from figuring out how to block the bitter taste of life-saving medications to applying basic knowledge of the gut-brain link to combat obesity and other metabolic conditions.
Rinsing Away Bitter Taste
The bitter taste of certain drugs is a major reason why people all over the world, especially children, avoid taking their medicines, putting their health and, sometimes, their lives at risk. Monell has been collaborating with other scientists and industry partners to find a way around this global problem. This involves rinsing the mouth with a liquid that reduces bitter taste before taking a medication. Chief Science Officer Danielle Reed, PhD, Christensen Postdoctoral Fellow Ha Nguyen, PhD, and colleagues found that the diabetes drug rosiglitazone could partially block the bitter taste of some especially bad-tasting medications. They surmise that rosiglitazone could be taken in small doses before other medicines to make them less bitter and taste better. These results suggest that having more bitter-receptor blockers from which to choose will one day help entirely suppress the bitterness of many types of medicines for people everywhere.
The other side of Monell’s search for bitter blockers is taking a different tack. Instead of targeting specific bitter receptors, researchers are asking people to first rinse their mouths with a taste-nerve blocker before swallowing a bitter medication. This approach caused a temporary loss not only of bitter taste, but all taste. Monell scientists including Linda Flammer, PhD, Paul Breslin, PhD, Peihua Jiang, PhD, Carol Christensen, PhD, and Michael Tordoff, PhD, identified a temporary, universal bitter taste blocker that works in people. AF-353 reduced the bitterness signal caused by medications and other compounds. “Remarkably, and unlike our experience with blockers of bitter taste receptors, the taste-nerve blocker we tested worked for every person and every bitter compound we tested,” said first author Flammer. “I have never seen this before.” They found that rinsing the mouth with AF-353 significantly reduced the bitterness of two medicines that treat common chronic diseases: Praziquantel for parasites and Tenofovir Alafenamide for hepatitis B and HIV.
Monell investigators (L to R) Ha Nguyen, PhD, Peihua Jiang, PhD, Linda Flammer, PhD, and Danielle Reed, PhD, test for bitterness.
These results suggest that having more blockers to choose from will help one day entirely suppress the bitterness of many types of medicines for people everywhere.
Of Cravings and Weight Loss
“The communication between our gut and brain happens below the level of consciousness,” said de Lartigue. “We may be craving these types of food without even realizing it.”
From the mouth to the gut to the brain, humans are complexly wired to be vigilant of what we ingest. The lab of Amber Alhadeff, PhD, found two distinct neural circuits that govern different effects of the same type of weight-loss drug, the popular glucagonlike peptide-1 receptor (GLP1) agonists. The aim is to understand how to selectively activate one circuit to promote weight loss while avoiding the aversive side effect of nausea. The GLP1-based drugs produce impressive weight loss results in clinical trials, and according to the World Health Organization, in 2022, one in eight people globally were living with obesity, making the development of drugs like these a public health priority.
Speaking of gut-brain connections, most humans have experienced cravings at one point or another, whether for fatty, creamy ice cream or salty, crispy potato chips. A new study from the lab of Guillaume de Lartigue, PhD, found that combining separate fat and sugar craving pathways overly triggers our desire to eat more than usual. “It’s like a one-two punch to the brain’s reward system,” said de Lartigue. “Even if the total calories consumed in sugar and fats stays the same, combining fats and sugars leads to significantly more dopamine release and, ultimately, overeating in the mice we studied.” This finding sheds light on why dieting can be so challenging.
Sweet Taste Receptor + Glucose Metabolism = Better Diabetes Management
A molecule that sits on the outer surface of certain tongue cells – the sweet taste receptor called TAS1R2-TAS1R3 – influences glucose metabolism in people. Specifically, stimulation of the receptor accelerates insulin release, while inhibition slows it down. Monell taste biologist Paul Breslin, PhD, led the team behind a study pointing the way toward better treatment strategies for diabetes and other metabolic disorders.
The team tested oral glucose tolerance in healthy humans and measured plasma glucose, insulin, and the hormone glucagon before, during, and after the tests and two hours after a meal. “The novelty of our findings is that this receptor impacts blood glucose and insulin during a glucose meal differently, depending on whether it is stimulated or inhibited,” said Breslin, who describes this system as “elegant in its simplicity.”
Notably, this same taste receptor is all over the body – the mouth, gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, liver, and fat cells, all part of the body’s 24/7 metabolic watch.
Worldwide dietary patterns suggest that people are eating and drinking excessive amounts of sugars and other sweeteners. This could hyperstimulate TAS1R2-TAS1R3, contributing to an improper regulation of glucose in the blood, which could lead to metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors that raises the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
“Studies like ours show that the sweet taste receptor TAS1R2-TAS1R3 regulates glucose differently, depending on the sweetness of the food or beverage,” said Breslin. “A small metabolic change for the positive can add a lot more to the life and health of humans when compounded over decades and millions of people.”
“A small metabolic change for the positive can add a lot more to the life and health of humans when compounded over decades and millions of people.”
Sensations Beyond Taste and Smell
Cooling of mint. Burn of chili peppers. Tickling of carbonation. At first, these may all seem related to familiar tastes. Yet, these sensations are more complicated, involving both the olfactory and trigeminal nerve (the main sensory nerve of the head and face) systems that extend into the nose. Together, the two carry signals that allow our bodies to remain on the lookout for the molecules we inhale. Olfactory signals enable our brains to determine the odor identity of molecules, while trigeminal signals produce a variety of sensations such as tingling and irritation. Monell Research Associate and Morley R. Kare Fellow Federica Genovese, PhD, currently a Visiting Scientist at Université Paris Citè, works at the intersection of these systems. “My research characterizes how the trigeminal nerve detects air-borne chemicals from many sources, ranging from innocuous odorants to potentially harmful irritants,” said Genovese. “A better understanding of how this little-studied chemosensory system works and interacts with other chemosensory systems, like olfaction, will contribute to improving human health, with potential applications for migraines and neurodegenerative diseases.”
Currently, she leads an independent research program examining the synergy of these signals transmitted to the brain. Her most recent study, with Monell colleagues Johannes Reisert, PhD, and Jiang Xu, PhD, describes an objective measurement to discern the intricate relationship between the two systems. They discovered that trigeminal signals can alter signals of the olfactory system even before they reach the brain. Understanding how trigeminal activity alters odor perception could have significant implications for fragrance development, food science, and the treatment of smell loss, among other applications.
“My research characterizes how the trigeminal nerve detects air-borne chemicals from many sources ranging from innocuous odorants to potentially harmful irritants.”
The Making, and Keeping, of Memories
Memories provide deep meaning in our lives, but aging and neurodegenerative disease can disrupt this part of ourselves with profound consequences. While some new memories are preserved for decades, others slip from our mind in seconds. A deep passion of neuroscientists is to better understand the mechanisms of memory and identify therapeutic targets to maintain it. Kevin Bolding, PhD, Monell Assistant Member, and his colleague, Professor Olivier Pertz, PhD, from the Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, received a Collaborative Pairs Pilot Project Award from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to explore this.
“Our interdisciplinary collaboration blends systems neuroscience with contemporary cell biology to observe neural activity and biochemical signaling at the single-cell level in the brains of active mice to determine what guides memory persistence,” said Bolding. Using fluorescent cellular markers, the team will examine patterns of neurons following stimulation with odor, a time when temporary, transient memories are transformed into a more stable, long-lasting form. The aim is to find out if molecular changes in detected in the neural circuitry that correspond to memory consolidation are fundamental to the formation of memories.
Using fluorescent cellular markers, they will examine patterns of neurons following stimulation with odor, a time when temporary, transient memories are transformed into a more stable, long-lasting form.
SCENTinel® after COVID
Since its launch in late 2020, SCENTinel® – Monell’s rapid screening tool for detecting new-onset loss of smell – has been validated for its accuracy in detecting smell dysfunction and value as a tool for testing in large populations. Monell scientists published two studies putting SCENTinel® to the test in community settings that show new capabilities of this simple, quick, and inexpensive test.
They asked if SCENTinel® could screen for COVID infections and, if so, how accurately they could do it. Stephanie Hunter, PhD, and Pam Dalton, PhD, MPH, found that the self-rated odor intensity score from the SCENTinel® test was the strongest predictor of SARS-CoV-2 infection, a feature many commercial smell tests do not measure. The test performed better as a COVID-19 screen during the Delta variant outbreak than the Omicron variant, because smell loss was more prominent during Delta versus Omicron.
The second study assessed SCENTinel® in a different population: twins, triplets, and singletons visiting the Twins Days Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio. The team, including Hunter and Chief Science Officer Danielle Reed, PhD, found that two olfactory receptor gene variants, OR1G1 and OR2T33, were related to the pleasantness rating of banana (one of the odor samples included in the SCENTinel® test). Knowing that some people find banana odor unpleasant for genetic reasons helps the team correctly diagnose distortions in the sense of smell called parosmia. SCENTinel® is a new test, so they tracked age and sex results with commercial smell tests. Performance matched the more-established tests in that women have higher olfactory sensitivity and intensity ratings compared with men, and the sense of smell was better overall in younger compared with older people.
Stephanie Hunter, PhD and Pam Dalton, PhD found that the self-rated odor intensity score from the SCENTinel® test was the strongest predictor of SARS-CoV-2 infection, a feature that many commercial smell tests do not measure.
Partners in Patient-centered Research
The emergence of Long COVID uncovered the general public’s lack of knowledge of disorders of smell and taste. During the pandemic, researchers and patient advocates from the Monell Center, the Smell and Taste Association of North America, and Thomas Jefferson University came together to integrate patient voices into research planning on COVID’s effect on the senses of smell and taste. To this end, in 2022, these collaborators conducted a survey and listening sessions with patients, caregivers, and family members affected by impaired smell or taste. They asked about their individual perceptions of the effectiveness of treatments, among other topics.
Over 5,800 people in the US – from all 50 states and the District of Columbia – answered the call to action to participate.
Using an online questionnaire, over 5,800 people in the US – from all 50 states and the District of Columbia – answered the call to action to participate. The team, which also includes researchers from San Diego State University, analyzed the characteristics that predicted whether treatment was reported as effective (or not) for patients aged 18- 24, 25- 39, 40-60 and 60+ years, as well as other findings.
Overall, survey results underscored the importance of conducting more large-scale, randomized clinical trials that include older people. They also identified a need to separate results among anosmia (complete smell loss), hyposmia (partial smell loss), and parosmia (smell distortions) to better understand the mechanisms underlying each diagnosis. The project provided important insight into the patient experience of olfactory disorders – their symptoms, diagnoses, treatments, and quality-of-life issues — and highlighted the need to partner with patients in planning future research.
Partnerships
More than 55 years ago, Monell founder Dr. Morley Kare envisioned rich collaborations across disciplines within the organization and externally with partners in academia and industry. Our unique Corporate Partners Program has become a model for academic-industry collaborations within an atmosphere of unbiased scientific excellence and transparency. The result? Tools and knowledge that have helped solve problems and create value within many of the world’s most innovative global companies.
Meet Linda Flammer
In early 2024, Linda J. Flammer, PhD, was named Director of the Corporate Partners Program to lead Monell’s innovative industry collaborations and translate our basic science to solve the world’s health, societal, and environmental challenges.
With a bachelor’s degree in experimental psychology, Flammer began her career at Monell more than 20 years ago investigating sensory perception and chemesthesis. Specifically, she studied how the composition of saliva contributes to taste perception, early work that would later inform her and her Monell colleagues’ most recent discovery of a universal bitter blocker.
After earning her doctorate in experimental psychology, Flammer moved into industry R&D at Unilever, International Flavors and Fragrances, and PepsiCo where she led studies of new ingredients to lower sugar, fat, and salt concentration in foods and beverages.
In 2019, Flammer returned to Monell as a senior research associate, collaborating on studies exploring the interrelationships among sensory, cognitive, metabolic, and genetic influences on eating and drinking, and finding ways to modulate sweetness and bitter perception. Her ultimate goals are to help stem the global obesity epidemic by partnering with industry collaborators to create healthier foods and beverages that still taste good to consumers, and to find solutions, like the bitter blocker, to make life-saving bitter medicines go down a little easier.
East Meets West
Monell has numerous corporate and academic partners in Asia and a long history of fruitful collaborations. Indeed, we see Asia as a focus point for new and expanding research collaborations in the future.
Our first Japanese corporate partner, Ajinomoto, a global leader in research, development, and sales of amino acid products in the food industry, joined Monell’s program in 1975. Over the years, Monell and Ajinomoto have co-organized many international conferences on taste and nutrition and have worked together on research projects that advance understanding of how sensory mechanisms influence human nutrition.
Another longstanding Japanese corporate partner, food-service industry leader Zensho Holdings Company Ltd., is on a mission to end world hunger and poverty by developing and mass merchandising healthful, sustainably-produced, and affordable foods. Zensho is leveraging its ability to enhance its technical capabilities and productivity through placement of a visiting scientist in the lab of Monell Member Paul Breslin, PhD, for research collaborations.
Our Newest Corporate Partners
Monell is proud to welcome these new companies into its Corporate Partners Program this year.
Edlong Flavor Company
Founded over a century ago with corporate headquarters in the United States and Ireland, Edlong is the world’s only flavor house focused exclusively on the taste of dairy. The company brings dairy-free and dairy flavor applications and culinary and sensory solutions to the global food and beverage industry.
House Foods
House Foods was founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1913 as a producer of herbal medicines. Today, the multinational food and beverage industry giant carries that tradition forward, producing health foods and functional beverages. However, House Foods’ primary focus is the manufacture and sale of soybean-related products such as tofu, curry products, and functional foods throughout the US, China, and Southeast Asia. Visiting scientist Takahiro Nitta, PhD, is collaborating and training in the Monell laboratory of Johannes Reisert, PhD.
Growing Collaborations with Rowan University
The initial opportunity in 2021 for Monell to partner with academic affiliate Rowan University students and faculty in the Ric Edelman College Of Communication & Creative Arts for their first Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Philadelphia Flower Show provided the fertile foundation for this blossoming educational partnership – now in its fourth year. This collaboration has enabled both institutions to reach new audiences with outreach activities that raise awareness about the importance of smell.
The 2024 theme for the Monell-Rowan Flower Show activity centered on the smells of spring and how the odors of this season invoke different associations for different people. This concept demonstrates to visitors that humans experience life in their individual olfactory ways.
The Rowan University students were trained by members of the Mainland lab to assess the sensory qualities of different odors. They selected 10 odors evocative of spring that were used to create an educational scent wheel displayed at the Flower Show. The students also designed and printed a deck of 10 “smell of spring cards,” using information they learned on their visit to Monell.
This collaboration has enabled both institutions to reach new audiences with outreach activities that raise awareness about the importance of smell.
Monell’s global partnerships unite visionary leaders
dedicated to
improving health and well-being
Corporate Partners
- Ahersla Health
- Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
- Anonymous
- Aryballe
- Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, LP
- Church & Dwight
- Coca-Cola Company
- CyNexo
- Danone Research
- Diageo, plc
- dsm-firmenich
- Edlong Flavor Company
- FlavorHawk
- Gilead Sciences Inc.
- House Foods Group Inc.
- Ingredion
- Kerry
- Mars, Inc.
- Nestlé Purina Petcare PTC
- Northeast Gas Association
- Osmo Labs
- OVR Technology
- PepsiCo, Inc.
- RIFM – Research Institute for Fragrance Materials, Inc.
- Sanofi s.r.l
- Scentian Bio
- Scentovation
- Suntory Holdings, Ltd.
- Symrise
- Takasago International Corporation
- Unilever
- Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company
- Young Living Essential Oils
- Zensho Holdings Co. Ltd.
Academic Partners
- Agrosup Dijon
- BioRTC – Yobe State University
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
- CSIR – Central Scientific Instruments
- Dalian Polytechnic University
- Drexel University
- Esperanza College of Eastern University
- Fox Chase Cancer Center
- Initiativa Proxima
- Institut national de la recherche agronomique (INRA)
- Korea Food Research Institute
- Kyushu University
- La Salle University
- Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology
- MaST Community Charter School
- Nanyang Technological University
- Rowan University
- Rutgers University
- Temple University
- The Gunston School
- Thomas Jefferson University
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
- Université Côte d’Azur
- University of Dresden
- University of Florida
- University of Gdansk
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Queensland
- University of Vermont
- USDA National Wildlife Research Center
- Walnut Hill College
- Washington University
- Wistar Institute
Monell Partner Industry Sectors
Chemical
Consumer Products
Flavor & Fragrance
Food & BeveRage
Ingredients
Non-Profit
Pharma
Tech
Meet our Supporters
The incredible generosity of our supporters enables Monell to advance and share discoveries in the science of the chemical senses to solve the world’s health, societal, and environmental challenges.
The 2023-2024 Honor Roll of Donors
Monell Circle ($1,000+)
Dr. James Albrecht
American Heart Association
Anonymous
Gary and Fay Beauchamp
Robert Bedoukian,⸙ Bedoukian Research
Raymond and Barbara Bendure
Berje, Inc.
Richard L. Berkman and Toni Seidl
Mary Bertino
Andrew Brand
Gail C. Brand
Paul Breslin
Laura Louise Breyer
Burghart Messtechnik*
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative*
The Charina Endowment Fund, Inc.
Carol M. Christensen
Walter⸙and Kathi Clayton*
Susan E. Coldwell
Jim Conmy
Corporate Synergies
David Davenport
Susan S. de Mars
Philip Devitte
Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation
Kathleen Dorries
Robert Eilerman
The Charles E. Ellis Trust
Kevin Foskett
Eugene Garfield Foundation
Neil Hammerstrom
Robert W. Harkins
Haverford Trust Company
Alexandra and Paul Herzan
HOK*
Hoyer Electrical Contractors, Inc.*
Philip S. Johnson
Susan Kare
John Kauer
Bruce Kimball
Stephen J. Kron
John N. Labows
Harry T. Lawless
Jane Leland and Rich Fisher
Lopez Family Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation*
Lor-Mar Mechanical Services*
William J. Ludlum
The Christopher Ludwick Foundation
David and Kathy Macnair
Stephen R. Manheimer
Shawn and Jody Marcell
Robert F. Margolskee
Robert McGorrin
The Ambrose Monell Foundation
Maurizio J. Morello
Claire Murphy
National Dairy Council
The New York Stem Cell Foundation
Yuzo Ninomiya
Angela N. Nwaneri
Maureen O’Leary and Surge Ghosh
Dr. Regina Blaszczyk and Lee O’Neill
Mary K. Parker
Valentina Parma
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Institute (PCORI)
Charles Peterson
Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical
Sciences, supported by the Pew Charitable Trusts
Travis and Kate Peyton*
Rachel Poole
Rev. and Mrs. Mike Pratt
Allen Puchalski
Nancy E. Rawson
Danielle Reed
Right Angle Club of Philadelphia*
Rycon Construction, Inc.*
Joseph Salkowitz
Sensify, Inc.*
Sensonics International*
Gail E. Seygal
John Shapiro, Shapiro-Silverberg
Foundation
Siemer Miller Company
Benjamin P.C. Smith Family*
Howard Smith, Jr.
Lewis S. Somers, 4th
Spark Therapeutics
Andrew Spielman
Jenifer Trachtman
The Wawa Foundation
Judy Wellington
Alyssa Wofford
Alex Woo
William N. Zeiger
To discuss a gift to Monell, please contact Staci Vernick, Senior Director of Communications and Marketing, at svernick@monell. org. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of these lists. If we have inadvertently misspelled or omitted your name, please accept our apologies and notify Staci Vernick.
To view a full list of donors and matching gift companies, and to see consistent, long-term support of the Monell Center, consecutive year donors, and donors by affinity group: monell.org/thankyou.
For secure online giving:
monell.org/support
Generous, long-term support of the Monell Center brings our vision to life: a healthier world made possible by unlocking the mysteries of our senses.
We extend our deepest gratitude and appreciation for the below individuals, foundations, and corporations whose lifetime support of the Center totaled $25,000 or more at the end of 2023 – 2024.
$25,000 - $99,999
Todd Abraham
American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society
Arthurº and Carolyn Asbury
The Barra Foundation
Robert Bedoukianº, Bedoukian Research
Berje, Inc.
Mary Bertino
Jules Blakeº
Laura Louise Breyer
Caroline Alexander Buck Foundation
Al S. Clausiº
Colgate-Palmolive Company
Connelly Foundation
Jeannette Desor
Robert Eilerman
The Charles E. Ellis Trust
William T. Goldenº
Robert Goldstein
Alexandra and Paul Herzan
Carol Kare
Kerry
Alan I. Leshner
William J. Ludlum
The Christopher Ludwick Foundation
David and Kathy Macnair
Arnold Manheimer
Mars (Masterfoods)
Margy Ellin Meyersonº
Maurizio J. Morello
National Organization for Rare Disorders
Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences, supported by the Pew Charitable Trusts
Rev. and Mrs. Mike Pratt
Sam Rao
Nancy E. Rawson
Jay D. Sandlerº
John Shapiro, Shapiro-Silverberg Foundation
Howard Smith Jr.
Lewis S. Somers, 4th
Andrew Spielman
Takasago International Corporation
Tastepoint by IFF (David Michael & Company)
van Ameringen Foundation, Inc. Hiroko Yamazaki
Tomoko Yamazaki
Zensho Holdings Co. Ltd.
* First-Time Donor
º Deceased
In Memoriam
Robert H. Bedoukian, PhD
1948 – 2024
Dr. Robert H. Bedoukian, whose friendship and generous support of Monell over many years has left an indelible mark on our organization, died in September at the age of 76.
The founder of Bedoukian Research, Inc., in 1972, Bob will always be remembered as a remarkable individual and a visionary leader in the flavor and fragrance industry. His generous philanthropy supported the Monell Science Apprenticeship Program, which inspires and trains the next generation of young scientists. Over the years, Bob graciously gave of his time to speak with the Apprentices and instill in them his spark for science. As we mourn the passing of our colleague, supporter, and friend, we celebrate his remarkable life, distinguished career, and numerous contributions to our understanding of the chemical senses.
$100,000 - $499,999
Ajinomoto, Inc.
Altria Group
Arcadia Foundation
Gary and Fay Beauchamp Campbell Soup Company
The Catherwood Family Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
The Coca-Cola Company
Hilda & Preston Davis Foundation
Dr. and Mrs. Arnold E. Dentonº
Estée Lauder Companies
Robert W. Harkins
Bonnie Lou Huntº
Ingredion, Inc.
Jade Yoga
Japan Tobacco Inc.
Johnson & Johnson
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences, supported by the Pew Charitable Trusts
Philip S. Johnson
Kaleidoscope of Hope Foundation
Kirin Holdings Company, Ltd.
Klingenstein-Simons Fellowship Awards in Neuroscience
Kraft Heinz
John N. Labows
Stephen R. Manheimer
Robert F. Margolskee
National Dairy Council
Shaun F. O’Malleyº
PepsiCo Inc.
Ghislaine H. Polak
Dwight R. Riskey
George Rowe Esq.º
Gail E. Seygal Symrise
Whitehall Foundation
William N. Zeiger
$500,000 - $999,999
American Heart Association
The Charina Endowment Fund, Inc.
Carol M. Christensen
Firmenich Incorporated
Givaudan
John and Teresa Hickey
International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.
Patricia Kindº
Harry Levine
The Kresge Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Lewis S. Somers IIIº
$1,000,000+
James J. Albrecht
Richard L. Berkman
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Robert J. Kleberg Jr. & Helen C.Kleberg Foundation
The Ambrose Monell Foundation
The NewYork Stem Cell Foundation
Louise Sladeº
Rosalind Walterº
* First-Time Donor
º Deceased
.
Yamazaki Distinguished Lectureship
Lisa Stowers, PhD, a neuroscience professor at Scripps Research Institute gave the 2023 Kunio Yamazaki Distinguished Lectureship. An expert in how olfaction drives social behavior, Dr. Stowers described how the neural circuits involved in olfaction influence complex behaviors, such as decision-making, emotion, and learning. Established in 2014 and sustained by the Yamazaki Family and numerous memorial contributions, the Kunio Yamazaki Distinguished Lectureship honors the memory and professional legacy of late Monell Member Dr. Kunio Yamazaki by bringing eminent speakers to the Center to give talks on topics related to Dr. Yamazaki’s seminal work on odortypes, the genetically-determined body odors that distinguish one individual of a species from another.
Smell for Life
Smell for Life is Monell’s strategic aim to find causes and treatments for smell and taste disorders. It is by design crowd-sourced, supported by contributions from those most impacted by taste and smell disorders.
There is wonderful diversity in our growing community of donors. While donors may be geographically dispersed and make gifts of different sizes, they all share a belief that more research will lead to future treatment options for taste and smell dysfunction, an inspiring
message for all Monell scientists!
Contributions to Smell for Life are pooled with those from many others and awarded competitively to investigators at Monell with the most compelling research proposals to solve the problem of smell dysfunction.
Contributions to Smell for Life are pooled together with those from many others and awarded competitively to investigators at Monell with the most compelling solutions to the problem of smell dysfunction.
Smell
for Life
Total Number of Donors
US States
Countries
Gift Size Range
$1
TO
Most Common Gift Amount
$100
Private
Philanthropic
Donations
Federal Grant Dollars
Leverages from Private
Philanthropic Grants
Our People
Faculty
Amber Alhadeff, PhD
Gary Beauchamp, PhD
Kevin Bolding, PhD
Paul Breslin, PhD
Pamela Dalton, PhD, MPH
Guillaume de Lartigue, PhD
Peihua Jiang, PhD
Bruce Kimball, PhD
Joel Mainland, PhD
Robert Margolskee, MD, PhD
Ichiro Matsumoto, PhD
Julie A. Mennella, PhD
Valentina Parma, PhD
Nancy E. Rawson, PhD, MSc, FCPP
Danielle Reed, PhD
Johannes Reisert, PhD
Amos B. Smith, III, PhD
Benjamin P.C. Smith, PhD
Michael Tordoff, PhD
Hong Wang, PhD
Paul Wise, PhD
Yali Zhang, PhD
Adjunct Faculty
Noam Cohen, MD, PhD
Yuzo Ninomiya, PhD, MDSci
Emeritus Faculty
Bruce Bryant, PhD
Beverly Cowart, PhD
Mark Friedman, PhD
Alan Gelperin, PhD
Graeme Lowe, PhD
Marcia Pelchat, PhD
Charles J. Wysocki, PhD
Center Staff
Benjamin P.C. Smith, PhD
Executive Director & President
Jessica Reid* departed Monell
Executive Assistant to the Director
Manal Abuali
Interim Executive Assistant to the Director
Ahmed Barakat
Communications Coordinator
La-Quon Benson
Facilities Coordinator
Dennis Coleman
Research Integrity and Safety Officer
Niko Cook
Chief People and Operations Officer
Danielle Coyne, MBA, CPA
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
Linda Flammer, PhD
Director, Corporate Partners Program
David Gabl, MST, CPA
Controller & Administrator
Alek Green
Junior Systems Administrator
Tiffany Haydt
Administrative Coordinator for Academic Affairs
Darrell Johnson
Payroll Coordinator
Jacqueline King
Administrative Assistant
Karen Kreeger
Director, Science Communications
Donna Kupniewski
Executive Director, Facilities Management
Mike Leone
Director, Facilities Management
Christopher Maute
Manager, Multimedia Communications
Scott McKelvey
Human Resources Generalist
Maureen O’Leary, PhD
Senior Director, Business Strategy & Planning
Christine Paoletti
Senior Manager, Human Resources
Valentina Parma, PhD
Assistant Director
Rachel Poole, PhD
Director, Research Administration
Nancy Rawson, PhD, MSc, FCPP
Executive Vice President & Chief Impact Officer
Danielle Reed, PhD
Chief Science Officer
Kristina Robold
Development Specialist
Maurice Savard
IT Manager
Julia Ellen Shelly
Research Grants & Contracts Administrator
Nick Termini
PC Support Technician
Tiffany Toole
Manager, Business Office and Accounts Payable
Jenifer Trachtman* departed Monell
Director, Development
Michael Stefanski
Interim Director, Development
Reynaldo Trinidad
Supervisor, Facilities Management
Catherine Tyree-Davis
Accounting Manager
Staci Vernick
Senior Director, Communications & Marketing
Nathan Walters
Senior Research Grants & Contracts Specialist
Alyssa Wofford
Corporate Partners Liaison and Project Manager
Board of Directors
David Macnair, PhD
Chair
Vice President, Global Petcare Research & Development (retired), Mars Petcare
Richard L. Berkman, Esquire
Vice Chair
Of Counsel, Dechert LLP (retired)
Benjamin P.C. Smith, PhD
Executive Director & President, Monell Chemical Senses Center
Susan de Mars
Consultant and former Chief Legal Officer, US Pharmacopeia
Kevin Foskett, PhD
Isaac Ott Professor and Chair, Department of Physiology
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
Paul Herzan
Vice President and Director, Lily Auchincloss Foundation
International Flavors & Fragrances (retired)
Stephen Manheimer
Vice President, Kerry
Ambrose K. Monell
President and Director, The Ambrose Monell Foundation
& The G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation
Maurizio Morello, Esquire
Executive Vice President, The Ambrose Monell Foundation
& The G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation Partner, Fulton Vittoria LLP
Angela Nwaneri, Esquire
Business Manager and Chief Operating Officer First Cardiology Consultants/FCC Healthcare
Edmund deAzevedo Pribitkin, MD, MBA, FACS
Chief Physician Executive, Jefferson Health
President, Jefferson Medical Group
Professor, Dept. of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Judith Wellington, PhD
Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences President & CEO (retired)
Monell was pleased to introduce two esteemed colleagues who joined the Board of Directors this year, bringing their unique expertise to the governance of the Center.
Donald Wilkes is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Pacific Flavors, Inc., which he founded over 30 years ago. Based in California, Blue Pacific is a unique “farm-to-flavor” manufacturer of USDA certified organic and natural flavors, extracts, and ingredient solutions. The company offers innovative capabilities in flavor and product applications to a diverse range of industries including beverage, dairy, bakery, confectionery, cereal, and nutritional supplements.
Edmund Pribitkin, MD, MBA, is the Chief Physician Executive and Executive Vice President of Jefferson Health, President of the Jefferson Medical Group, and Professor in the Department
of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery in the Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. A widely published researcher and educator, Dr. Pribitkin is a senior healthcare executive with more than 25 years of academic leadership experience developing innovative health care delivery strategies focused on patient safety and quality.
Emeritus Board Members
Susan W. Catherwood
Board Member, The Glenmede Trust, N.A.
Board Member, The Pew Charitable Trusts
Deborah L. Hayes
Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
Philip S. Johnson, Esquire
Senior Vice President, Intellectual Property, Policy & Strategy (retired), Johnson & Johnson
Alan I. Leshner, PhD
Chief Executive Officer Emeritus, American Association for the Advancement of Science
Dwight R. Riskey, PhD
Principal, Riskey Business Solutions LLC
Corporate Officers
Benjamin P.C. Smith, PhD
President
Executive Director & President, Monell Chemical Senses Center
Nancy E. Rawson, PhD, MSc, PCPP
Secretary
Executive Vice President & Chief Impact Officer, Monell Chemical Senses Center
Danielle Coyne, MBA, CPA
Treasurer
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, Monell Chemical Senses Center
Emeritus Corporate Officers
Carol M. Christensen, PhD
Secretary Emeritus
Monell Chemical Senses Center
Lee O’Neill, MBA
Treasurer Emeritus
Monell Chemical Senses Center
John K. T. Tran, MS, CRA
Treasurer Emeritus
Monell Chemical Senses Center
International Advisory Council
Monell’s International Advisory Council is a panel of respected advisors drawn from the worlds of academia, government, business, and philanthropy. Established in 1968, the IAC provides valued guidance to the Center’s leadership, helping to prioritize goals, identify resources, and define new directions for Monell’s research programs.
Shawn M. Marcell
Chairman
President & CEO, Torus Biosystems, Inc
Gary J. Schwartz, PhD
Vice Chairman
Professor of Medicine, Neuroscience, and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Carlos J. Barroso
President, CJB and Associates
Denny Brooks
Vice President of Commercial Science, Diageo, NA
Larry Clark, PhD
Director, National Wildlife Research Center (retired)
USDA-APHIS-WS
Frank A. Franklin II, PhD, JD, MPH
Deputy Health Commissioner, Philadelphia Department of Public Health
Josh Ghaim, PhD
Founder, Ignite Venture Studio
Sheetal Ghelani, PhD
Director of GHS Operations and Pediatric Alliance Management
Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc.
Professor Jeyakumar Henry
Deputy Executive Director
Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation
Director, Clinical Nutrition Research Centre
Harry Levine, PhD
Associate, Louise Slade Food Polymer Science Consultancy
Maia Monell, MS
Co-Founder & CMA, Nav.it
Board Member, The Ambrose Monell Foundation, & The G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation
Diego Restrepo, PhD
Professor, Department of Cell & Developmental Biology
University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
Mark H. Schutta, MD
G. Clayton Kyle Professor in Diabetes Medical Director of the Penn Rodebaugh Diabetes Center
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Pamela Silberman
Principal, PSS Advisory Services, LLC
Kazushige Touhara, PhD
Professor, Department of Applied Biological Chemistry
Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Mark Schutta, Denny Brooks, and Lisa Stowers joined Monell’s International Advisory Council this year, bringing valued expertise that will guide Monell in expanding its research directions and connecting the chemical senses to new fields of science to help solve the world’s health, societal, and environmental challenges.
Dr. Mark Schutta is the G. Clayton Kyle Professor in Diabetes and Medical Director of the Penn Rodebaugh Diabetes Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. He is an expert in diabetes and abnormal glucose metabolism who is widely published in the academic literature and who has been repeatedly recognized by America’s Top Doctors and in Philadelphia magazine’s annual Top Docs issues.
Denny Brooks is Vice President, Commercial Science, for Diageo, North America. In this role, he leads the basic science team for the global leader in beverage alcohol with brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Ketel One, and many others. Brooks previously held similar research and development positions with Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, Kraft General Foods, and General Foods Corporation.
Dr. Lisa Stowers obtained her PhD at Harvard University in 1997. She then joined Catherine Dulac’s lab as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute postdoctoral fellow to undertake the study of how the brain translates odor sensation into fundamental social and survival behavior. In 2002, she began independent work at Scripps Research where she remains today as a Professor of Neuroscience. She has been a finalist for the Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology, and named a Pew Scholar and Ellison Medical Foundation Senior Scholar in Neuroscience.
Financials
The Monell Chemical Senses Center benefits from a diverse revenue stream, including government research grants, industry partnerships, philanthropic support, and endowment income. This financial mixture not only drives the Center’s growth but also stabilizes its finances. The endowment, significantly boosted by Dr. Louise Slade’s bequest in 2021, continues to ensure Monell’s long-term sustainability.
As Monell concludes the third year of the Monell Foundation’s five-year $26 million grant, the Center remains focused on recruiting new scientists, enhancing laboratories and facilities, and exploring new business development opportunities. Faculty supported by the grant are already making significant contributions, and plans are underway for transformative improvements to the physical space. (Financials are unaudited.)
The Center expresses deep gratitude for all contributions that support its mission to improve health through research on the biology of taste and smell.
Income | $19.2MM
35% | Government Grants
$6,619,135
14% | Corporate Grants & Sponsorship
$2,788,070
Other | 15%
$2,869,361
Philanthropy | 36%
$6,966,403
Expenses | $19.2MM
75% | Research
$14,346,870
Research Administration and Support | 19%
$3,677,133
Fundraising | 6%
$1,181,656
Our Vision Is:
A healthier world made possible by unlocking the mysteries of our senses.
Our Mission Is:
To advance and share discoveries in the science of the chemical senses of smell, taste, chemesthesis, and interoception to solve the world’s health, societal, and environmental challenges.
We Aspire To:
Be a world leader in sensory science and scholarship.
Stimulate innovative research through collaboration and a strong network of partners committed to growing our understanding of the senses.
Serve as a global town square for dialogue on relevant sensory science and its impact on health, societal, and environmental challenges.
Attract and maintain talent that reflects the rich diversity of our community.
Provide creative, evidence-based knowledge and solutions to real-world problems.
Excite and educate the next generation of thought leaders in sensory science.
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