East Meets West at the Monell Center: Cross-cultural Collaboration Continues With Visit by Sensory Scientists from the Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation

PHILADELPHIA (March 21, 2025) – In the next steps of the five-year research and education alliance between the Monell Chemical Senses Center and the Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (A*STAR SIFBI) and codified in a Memorandum of Understanding three months ago, a team of scientists from Singapore visited the Monell Center March 19-20, 2025. The A*STAR group learned more about Monell science and scientists, and with Monell, mapped out potential corporate and academic collaborations for the ongoing partnership “This visit held tremendous potential for achieving our shared vision of creating a healthier world through sensory science and nutrition research,” said Benjamin P.C.

Smith, PhD, Monell Executive Director & President. “I can now say unequivocally that we are on our way to a better understanding of the cultural, environmental, and genetic factors that shape sensory experiences across diverse populations.” On Wednesday, March 19, both organizations presented their research ideas during a half-day seminar focusing on research themes that are crucial for understanding consumer preferences and developing products that resonate with diverse consumers and contribute to healthier diets.



Together, the teams delved into three research themes that bridge science, culture, and health: Textural and Mouthfeel Attributes Across East and West Populations – Exploring how cultural backgrounds shape sensory perception. Olfaction and Health in East and West Populations – Investigating the role of the sense of smell in health and well-being across different communities. Physiology of Appetite Regulation Across Life Stages – Understanding how biology influences eating behaviors and the physiological and brain/neuron circuits that regulate hunger.

Please contact Karen Kreeger, Director of Science Communication, at the above email if you have any questions. About the Monell Chemical Senses Center The Monell Chemical Senses Center is an independent nonprofit research institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1968 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.

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