Our community lost one of its early members recently. George Dodd joined ECRO in 1971 shortly after the organisation was formed. He was elected General Secretary of ECRO in 1974 and helped to organise the ECRO congress in Reading, UK in 1976.
He was interested in perfumes as a teenager and went on to study Chemistry at Trinity College, Dublin with research projects on molecules found in essential oils. He then began research on small molecules binding to proteins at the University of Oxford and gained a D.Phil (Ph.D) under the supervision of Sir George Radda, publishing a seminal paper in 1969 determining the rate of allosteric transition in the regulatory enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase by a method new in the 1960s, the fluorescence of an environmentally sensitive extrinsic probe. After working at Unilever in the Molecular Biophysics Research Group for three years, he joined the University of Warwick, UK, in 1971, founding the Warwick Olfactory Research Group, pioneering research on the molecular mechanisms involved in smell, olfactory physiology, the psychology of smell as well as artificial noses.
I joined his group in 1976, was enthused with his love of the world of smell and inspired by him, worked on what would be the initial concepts of an artificial nose – now known as electronic noses. A keen master perfumer as well as an entrepreneur, he enjoyed working to create unique fragrances, opening a perfume studio “Craft Perfumes” in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1978. He collaborated with Steve Van Toller – a psychologist and former president of ECRO who was also at Warwick, publishing a book The Psychology and Biology of Perfumery (eds) Steve Van Toller & George H Dodd; Chapman and Hall; 1988.
He left the University of Warwick in 1994, expanded into the realms of personal perfumes and was a founding director of a smell biotechnology company – Kiotech int plc. He moved to the highlands of Scotland opening “The Perfume Studio”, continuing to work with the smell research group at the University of Warwick. He was one of the founding Directors of Scent & Aroma Technology Systems Limited (Aroma Academy (www.aroma-academy.co.uk) and Perfume Academy (www.perfume-academy.com)).
A keen educator, he developed several aroma training kits, including a Wine Aroma Kit, Whisky Aroma Kit, Gin Aroma Kit, Bourbon Aroma Kit and a Rum Aroma Kit. Members of our community who attended ECRO 2011 in Manchester, UK will have been entertained by the Whisky tasting workshop that he gave us. Full of a gazillion eccentric ideas, he was always fascinating to listen to - inspiring many others to enter into the world of smell. We have lost a dear colleague.
Krishna Persaud
ROSE MARIE PANGBORN
SENSORY SCIENCE SCHOLARSHIP
One $15,000 Sensory Science Scholarship will be awarded for the 2019-2020 academic year to support a Ph.D. student who intends to teach and conduct research in the area of sensory science at the University level. This scholarship is awarded in honor of the memory of Professor Rose Marie Pangborn, who initiated the scholarship fund to encourage the education of Sensory Scientists intending to pursue academic careers.
Applicants for the scholarship must be enrolled in a Ph. D. Program such as Food Science, Nutrition, Psychology or Physiology. The planned or on-going dissertation research must be on a sensory topic under the guidance of a sensory scientist. Candidates will be evaluated on the basis of their academic record, intended research in human sensory science, commitment to a career in teaching in the field of sensory science, and support determined by letters of recommendation. The Board of Directors of the Sensory Science Scholarship Fund (SSSF) will determine policies governing the award and will select recipients.
Applications, including all required documentation must be postmarked no later than June, 7, 2019. For additional information and application forms contact Dr. Rick Mattes, Purdue University, Department of Nutrition Science, 700 W. State St., W. Lafayette, IN 47907-2059, USA Phone - 765-494-0662 FAX - 765-494-0674 email - mattes@purdue.edu Application forms are also downloadable at: http://www.purdue.edu/hhs/sensorysciencescholarship/
Past recipients include: Kelly Higgins, Pauline Lestringant, Corinna Noel, Carlos Gomez Corona, Cordelia Running, Nuala Bobowski, Erin Green, Melinda Murray, Michael Nestrud, Karen Ann Lusk (Hein), Gaston Ares, Martha Bajec, John Hayes, Derek Snyder, Cheryl Armstrong, Zuzana Drobna, Terri Rosett, Nicolette van der Klaauw, Sophie Bonnans, Jeannine Delwiche, Liz Gwartney, Thomas Heinbockel, Andrew Smith, Barbara Guggenbühl, Elba Cubero-Castillo, Randy Lee, and Lotika Bhatia Savant.
ECRO mourns André Holley
André Holley, Professor Emeritus at the Claude Bernard University (Lyon, France) and ECRO Honorary Member, recently passed away. André had important responsibilities in ECRO : co-opted member of the Board (1976-1978), General Secretary (1978-1982), vice-President (1982-1986), and then President (1986-1990). His deep involvement in promoting ECRO is impressive. Together with Prof. Patrick Mac Leod, he promoted basic research in Olfaction in France. He made outstanding scientific contributions in this area and in Cognitive Sciences. He was a strong reference for a whole generation of researchers. Many of his past students are now active leaders in these scientific domains. André also wrote several books on smell and taste targeting the general public. As philosopher and artist, he also expressed a great humanity.
ECRO mourns Tom Scott
On May 15th, 2017 Tom Scott passed away due to the effects of a heart attack. Tom was President of the Association of Chemoreception Sciences (AChemS) (1997-1998) and the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB, 2000-2001) and was an editorial board member for the journals Neurobiology, Nutrition and Acta Physiologica Hungarica. His research was bolstered by sabbatical leaves with Edmund Rolls in Oxford, UK, Yutaka Oomura in Okazaki, Japan and Takashi Yamamoto in Osaka, Japan.
ECRO mourns Martine Cattarelli
Dr Martine Cattarelli (France) passed away in June 2016. Martine has been a very active member since the beginning of ECRO . As General Secretary (she has left in 2002) she also largely contributed to the success of our Association. Her scientific contributions significantly improved our understanding of the physiological basis of the olfactory memory, the odor-taste aversion congruence and the role of the piriform cortex. She will be sorely missed by the community.
ECRO mourns Kjell Døving
We are sorry to inform the ECRO community that Professor Kjell Døving (Oslo University), passed away last February. Since the beginning of ECRO in the 70’, Kjell was a strong active supporter of our organization and was honorary member since many years. Kjell made major scientific contributions to our knowledge in Olfaction in mammals and fishes.
ECRO mourns Tom Getchell
The ECRO board is saddened by the news that Dr. Tom Getchell has passed away in his sleep. Tom was a strong supporter of the chemosensory community.
Prof. Dr. Tim McClintock provided the following information:
"The Department of Physiology in the College of Medicine at University of Kentucky is establishing the Thomas V. Getchell, PhD. Memorial Award. This award will be used to support an annual travel stipend for a student participating in the Grant Writing Workshop. Dr. Getchell founded the Grant Writing Workshop in 2005 with a vision to provide proactive, individualized mentoring to graduate students, MD/PhD students and postdoctoral trainees to further their training in pragmatic grantsmanship, increase their success rate in obtaining fellowship grants, and enhance their research careers. Dr. Getchell continually challenged students to do excellent work and infused the workshop with humor through the retelling of his own personal anecdotes. He treated students with the utmost respect, exemplified by his signature weekly communiques which all began "Dear Colleagues." To date, the trainees have earned over $2.4 million dollars in fellowship funding as a result of Dr. Getchell’s efforts."
ECRO mourns Kunio Yamazaki
Dr. Kunio Yamazaki, best known for his work on odor types - genetically-determined body odors conferring individual identity, died with no warning from a heart attack on April 11, 2013. Local services were held in Philadelphia on April 15, 2013. There has been a celebration of Kunio's life at the Monell Center on the afternoon and evening of October 10, 2013.