December 2020

Welcome to the latest issue of Anosmia News from Monell.

SCENTinel 1.0

Thanks again to all who helped us gather preliminary data forvalidation of our early smell-test studies, now officially calledSCENTinel. This test rapidly evaluates three olfactoryfunctions (detection, intensity, and identification). Monellscientists evaluated whether self-administering SCENTinel

can discriminate between individuals with smell loss (anosmics) and average smell ability(normosmics). The first paper on this work is now online as a preprint prior to officialpublication in a peer-review journal. The take-away message, for everyone, is that SCENTinel1.0 is a practical test able to discriminate individuals with smell loss from others and is likelyto be useful in many clinical situations, including COVID-19 symptom screening.

Meet STANA

One year ago, a small group gathered in the home of MarjRosner to discuss Monell’s anosmia research. That dinnerbegan conversations about the development of the first smelland taste patient advocacy group in North America, nowknown as STANA (the Smell and Taste Association of NorthAmerica). The founders are Rosner, Katie Boateng, andPamela Silberman, each of whom connected to Monell through their battle with smell loss. Monell’s Nancy Rawson and Jenifer Trachtman serve asadvisors to the group. STANA joins sister organizations AbScent and FifthSense in the UnitedKingdom, among others in Europe. Please join the STANA list or email info@thestana.orgwith your questions.

New Look for Monell Sites

Please take a look at the Monell Center’s 2019-2020 Annual Report, “Making Sense of the World,” our firstall-digital publication, which was released along with ournewly redesigned website. And, we have gathered all oursmell-loss related resources in one place: The Monell

Anosmia Project page. We welcome your thoughts – please send feedback tokkreeger@monell.org.

Ongoing Research

The COVID-19 pandemic has keenly highlighted the prevalence ofviral-induced anosmia. Building on previous work by Monellscientist Dr. Hong Wang on the relationship between inflammation inthe nasal cavity and age-related smell loss, she is continuing her workon the molecular biology of smell. Dr. Wang’s new study aims to betterunderstand how tissue injury and inflammation from viral-induced smellloss alters cell regeneration in the olfactory system. We will report backas her research progresses.

Industrial Design Student Requests Help from Anosmics

Sharon Wong, a graduate student in industrial design at theAcademy of Art University in San Francisco, is looking forpeople with anosmia to participate in a survey about theirexperience with olfactory loss. The project involves designinga product that will help people who suffer from smell loss as it relates to malnutrition. Please contact her directly at swong2@art.edu or text at (650) 817-5282 to learn more.

Are you having trouble explaining what anosmia is? This site can help.

Our Contact Information *{{Organization Name}}* *{{Organization Address}}* *{{Organization Phone}}* *{{Organization Website}}*

*{{Unsubscribe}}*