In the 1960s, very little was understood about the essential mechanisms and functions of what were thought to be the “minor senses” — taste and smell. As a junior professor in the veterinary school at Cornell, Dr. Morley Kare became increasingly interested in this field as he investigated food choice in a variety of species. With encouragement from such government agencies as the National Science Foundation and the Veterans Affairs Administration, and a few foresighted individuals, including Henry Walter, the chairman of International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc., Dr. Kare set out to establish a research organization that was multidisciplinary, made up of chemists, biochemists, physiologists, and psychologists –– all located and working in the same place.
History and Legacy
In 1967, The Ambrose Monell Foundation made an initial pledge of $1 million to create the Monell Chemical Senses Center, with Dr. Kare as director. After consulting with several universities, Dr. Kare, the directors of the Monell Foundation, and administrators at the University of Pennsylvania agreed that Penn would be the ideal location for such a research institute.
Mr. Walter was a founding member of the governing board, remaining active until his death in 2000. As Monell Emeritus Director and President Gary Beauchamp, PhD, wrote in a 2001 tribute: “Hank was a central driving force not only in Monell’s creation, but also in its growth and development. He was a giant in the fragrance and flavor industry. Hank was not a scientist; he was trained in the law and was a businessman. But he had the two essential ingredients to be a superb scientist –– an insatiable curiosity and a willingness to take intellectual risk.”
Mr. Walter’s own words matched Dr. Kare’s vision: “I looked in vain for an independent academic center whose basic research might explain how these two senses [smell and taste] operate, and I found an interested scientist in the late Morley Kare. He impressed my fellow directors of the Ambrose Monell Foundation. He found broad support from industry, governmental agencies, and foundations. … And we were off to the races.”
When the Center opened in 1968, its organization was unusual for the times; it began as a joint venture involving academic, government, and industry scientists, when such collaborations were rare. The Center was first housed in the old Lippincott Publications bindery building owned by Penn at 25th and Locust Streets. In 1971, Monell moved into its current home at 3500 Market Street, initially occupying just two of the building’s six floors.
Early in Monell’s history, Dr. Kare said, “Monell itself is a scientific experiment.” The results of this experiment have surpassed hopes and expectations. From a fledgling organization, Monell has grown to be a major force in scientific research, addressing issues such as human flavor and fragrance perception, nutrition and diet, obesity and metabolic disease, chemical communication, homeland security, environmental chemical exposure, and pollution effects.