Understanding How Humans Smell in Health and Sickness
Towards a molecular biology of human olfaction in health and disease
This project aims to understand the basic biology of human smell, especially why people lose their sense of smell after illnesses like COVID-19.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11177027 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Our sense of smell comes from the olfactory epithelium, a special tissue in the nose with millions of smell-sensing cells. When this tissue is damaged by infections, inflammation, toxins, or injuries, it can lead to lasting problems like complete smell loss (anosmia), reduced smell (hyposmia), or distorted smell (parosmia). Currently, we don't fully understand what goes wrong at a molecular level when people lose their sense of smell, and there are no effective treatments for these conditions, as highlighted by the widespread smell loss from COVID-19. This work will explore how human smell cells are organized and how their genes respond to odors, which is different from what we know about smell in animals like mice.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients experiencing smell loss or changes (anosmia, hyposmia, parosmia) due to various causes, including infections, may find this research relevant to future treatment developments.
Not a fit: Patients without smell disorders or those whose conditions are unrelated to the cellular mechanisms of smell perception may not directly benefit from this specific foundational research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this foundational work could lead to new therapies for various smell disorders, including those caused by infections like COVID-19.
How similar studies have performed: While rodent studies have provided insights into how smell neurons are organized, this research is novel in its focus on defining the unique molecular biology of human olfactory neurons, which is not yet well understood.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Goldstein, Bradley J — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Goldstein, Bradley J
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.