Smell Study Asks: Do People Perceive Some Odors Differently?

Charles J. Wysocki, Ph.D.
Photo by Paola Nogueras

Charles J. Wysocki, Ph.D., an NIDCD-supported researcher at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, is investigating genetic differences in smell perception. He and his team are testing a large population of Caucasian and African-American volunteers on their sensitivity to a dozen different smells, or odorants, looking for differences in the expression of specific genes that are associated with individual odor preferences. Some of the compounds being tested are found in food and fragrance products, and others are naturally occurring body odors.

Volunteers are brought into the laboratory and tested for their sensitivity to the odorants. Their DNA is sampled and scanned for the presence of a subset of genes in the olfactory receptor gene family that appear to show variation in people.

Over the course of the project, Dr. Wysocki says, they’ve begun to focus on a smaller group of olfactory receptor genes and their associated odorants and are testing them to determine whether or not the genes actually show activation in the presence of the odorant. “If it’s a pleasant smelling odorant, or something that’s beneficial,” says Dr. Wysocki, “a chemist could modify the molecules to build a better binding area to the receptor.” In other words, to make it smell even better. “If the odorants are unpleasant,” he continues, “molecules could be altered to interact with the receptor and block the perception of nasty smelling substances.” Dr. Wysocki imagines this kind of technology being used in a device that would plug into the wall to release molecules that block unpleasant smells. “People living downwind of agricultural settings, such as a hog farm, might like to have something like that.”

Learn about Dr. Wysocki’s research.

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