Participate in Research

We invite you to look below for studies that may interest you. Our research programs include studies on taste, smell, and sensory perception, as well as research to understand human health, development and behavior. Questions about individual studies should be addressed to the research coordinator listed and general questions about this page and its content should be addressed to Dennis at 267-519-4813 or researchstudies@monell.org. All studies have been approved by the University of Pennsylvania Institutional Review Board.

Want to be contacted for future research studies? Fill out the form located towards the bottom of this page, or click here to jump directly to it.

NEW STUDY AT THE NIBL LAB: HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

WHAT: Monell Chemical Senses Center is conducting a research study on subconscious drivers of eating.

Participants will complete a series of brain games, surveys, and taste tests. Body composition measurements will be taken via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, along with height and weight. At the first visit,
images of your brain will be taken using an MRI.

WHO: Healthy adults, 18+ years old.

WHEN: Ongoing. The study will require 2 in-person visits for a total of 6 hours (Visit 1 – 3 hours; Visit 2 – 2.5 hours) and completion of a brief, at-home task (<30 minutes total).

WHERE: 3401 Grays Ferry Ave, Philadelphia, PA (Pennovation Works) & 3500 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA.

Participants will be paid for each visit at $40/hours.

For more information: Contact nibl@monell.org or (267)519-4821.

Ad posted 03/02/2026. Recruiting until 01/25/2027.

Recruiting Taste Dysfunction & Healthy Population

The Lim Lab is seeking individuals who are A) experiencing taste loss or taste dysfunction, OR B) healthy adults. Eligible candidates may be invited to a research study involving tasting solutions and providing responses. You will be asked to attend 1 session lasting 15-60 minutes. A $10 – 30 gift card will be provided.

If you are experiencing taste dysfunction and interested in participating (Group A), sign up at: https://projectredcap.monell.org/surveys/?s=RF7XDT3A4NEJAC7T

If you are a healthy adult and interested in participating (Group B), sign up at: https://projectredcap.monell.org/surveys/?s=T9K8RRNWYXKJR4TP

The study will be performed in-person at Monell Chemical Senses Center, 3500 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. For any inquiries, please contact TasteAssessment@monell.org.

Ad posted 11/14/2025

Participants needed for Hunger Study

We are looking for participants for a research study examining how hunger influences taste sensitivity to carbohydrates. Participants must be healthy, non-smoking, non-diabetic, between 18-45 years old. You will be asked to attend between 1 and 6 sessions with each session lasting 30-150 minutes. During the sessions, you will perform taste sensitivity tests. You may also be asked to eat a provided meal, have body measurements taken, and have saliva collected. You will be asked to fast at least 8 hours before attending the session(s).

You will receive up to $35 per completed session plus a bonus if more than 3 sessions are required. Sessions will be conducted at Monell Chemical Senses Center.

PI: Juyun Lim, PhD. For more information, please email us at carbtastestudy@gmail.com.

Ad posted 11/14/2025

New Study on Blood Sugar

We are looking for participants for a research study on how tasting carbohydrates impacts insulin release and blood sugar. To participate, you must be healthy, non-smoking, non-diabetic, and between 18 and 45 years old. If you qualify, you will attend 1 to 5 study sessions. Each session will last up to 3.5 hours. During the sessions, you will drink or eat food samples, and have blood drawn. You will need to fast up to 10 hours before each session. You will be paid up to $100 per completed session, plus a possible bonus.

Sessions are conducted at Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia.

PI: Juyun Lim, PhD.

If you are interested in participating, please complete this preliminary screener, and our team will follow up to confirm eligibility.

For questions, please contact: carbtastestudy@monell.org.

Ad posted 08/17/2026

Subjects 18 to 55 Needed for Paid Study

Subjects ages 18 to 55 years qualify for a study where participants will be asked to detect, identify, discriminate, and evaluate different smell stimuli. Compensation is $15/hour + $5 for transportation per testing session. You may be invited back for additional sessions. Study visits (lasting up to 2 hours) during which you will be asked to smell different odors are involved.

Contact Carissa at smellmonell@gmail.com.

Ad posted 02/26/2025

Sense of Smell and COVID-19

Do you want to test your sense of smell from home?

Have you recently experienced any flu symptoms?

You may qualify for a scientific study, performed by the Monell Chemical Senses Center, about the sense of smell and how the flu/COVID affects it.

Information about the test:

  • You will receive by mail a set of scratch and sniff odor cards with instructions on how to use them and how to access the website where you will write your answers.
  • It will take about 15-20 minutes to perform the odor test and complete few demographic and health questions.
  • The test will be performed online at your convenience.
  • You will need access to the internet and a physical address so we can snail mail the scratch and sniff odor cards.

Who to Contact:
If you would like to participate in this study or have any questions, please send an email to smellstudy@monell.org.

Ad posted 05/11/2020.

Healthy Participants needed for Taste of Medicine Study

What: Research study on the flavor of active pharmaceutical ingredients to make bitter medicine taste better. Taste and spit multiple liquid samples each session and rate their flavor. Participants will be paid for their time.

Who: Healthy Adults, 18-60 years old

When: Ongoing. Multiple sessions (around 6), with the option for some participants to attend additional, optional visits.

Where: 3500 Market Street

For more information, contact: TasteOfMedicineStudy@monell.org
267-519-4777

Ad posted 08/17/2026

You Can Join Our Research Participant Database!

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
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Consent(Required)

You are being asked to provide information about yourself for a central file to be used by Monell researchers ONLY.

Monell researchers may use the information in this file to contact you about future research opportunities. In addition, the central file may be used to furnish funding agencies with basic descriptive information about participants in Monell studies (e.g., number of participants, ages, gender, etc.). You will not be identified by name in any information provided to outside agencies.

Your participation is completely voluntary and you may say no to any study team which contacts you without fear of being overlooked for future studies. You need only complete the requested information. There are no risks or costs to you, and you will not be compensated for providing the information. Further, you may withdraw your information from the file at any time by calling Monell at (267) 519-4813.

We appreciate your participation in our research and offer this as an opportunity for other research teams to recruit you for their studies. However, if during the course of a study you do not comply with the research protocol, you might not be contacted for further studies.

Neither filling this form nor being added to the database is a guarantee that you will be contacted in the future.

Every attempt will be made by Monell staff to maintain strict confidentiality for all information collected in the central file, except as may be required by court order or by law. Authorized representatives of the University of Pennsylvania and the Monell Chemical Senses Center will have access to and may copy information from the central file which may identify you by name.

If you wish further information regarding your rights as a research participant, you may contact the Director of Regulatory Affairs at the University of Pennsylvania by telephoning (215) 573-2540.