The Monell Center continued its 50th-anniversary celebration, during a two-day international scientific conference and symposium on Nov. 14-15, 2018, in Philadelphia, Pa.
In the 1960s, physiologist Morley Kare presented the idea of establishing a taste and smell institute to the Ambrose Monell Foundation, which then awarded him the funds to create what is now Monell Chemical Senses Center. From there, the center gained governmental and corporate support and opened its doors on Jan. 1, 1968. Today, the center staffs over 40 Ph.D. scientists from different fields in smell and taste science, with thousands of published scientific papers identifying the underlying mechanisms of taste and smell and the relationship between communication, appetite, nutrition and diseases.
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To honor its 50-year anniversary, the Monell Center hosted over 150 scientists, clinicians and patients at its Identifying Treatments for Taste and Smell Disorder conference, which was funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders and supported by Kerry Group. On the first day of the conference, attendees met to establish a consensus-based roadmap to guide treatment-focused research on smell and taste disorders, while also creating opportunities for direct engagement between patients, clinicians and researchers to identify patients to improve the care and management of their conditions.
Closing out the conference, Monell held its sold-out fundraiser, “Double Tasty: Dinner and a Show,” where over 200 guests enjoyed a dinner accompanied by scientific commentary designed to highlight the potential of Monell's research. One sensory integrated dish featured a smoked lamb shank prepared without added salt to demonstrate the power of context in enhancing food flavors. Then on Nov. 15, 2018, former and current Monell scientists, advisors and supporters gathered to share their stories and perspectives on the center.
