An Olfactory Implant to Restore the Sense of Smell
The Per Fumum Endowment Fund supports innovation in neuroscience with the olfactory implant project led by Claire Martin, neuroscientist and Director of Research at CNRS and Université Paris Cité. This project aims to develop a device that allows people suffering from persistent anosmia to regain certain olfactory sensations.
This approach is based on capturing odors, analyzing them, and transmitting the information to the brain. Currently in the validation phase on animal models, this project paves the way for new solutions.
Claire Martin answered our questions.
Interview with Claire Martin, Neuroscientist, Director of Research at CNRS and Université Paris Cité
Can you explain your olfactory implant project for people suffering from persistent anosmia in one sentence?
Claire Martin: “The goal of our project is to design an olfactory implant that enables people who have lost their sense of smell—without any hope of medical or other recovery—to regain certain olfactory sensations. To achieve this, we need to validate a prototype on animal models to demonstrate the feasibility of such an implant.”
Why did you choose an olfactory implant as a solution for treating anosmia? How does it work?
Claire Martin: “We are working with an ENT doctor specializing in cochlear implants for hearing rehabilitation. The idea is to apply a similar approach to the sense of smell. However, the olfactory system is more complex than the auditory system. The main challenge is capturing odors, which requires a detector to analyze the signal and then transmit it to the brain.”
Could this implant be effective for people born without a sense of smell?
Claire Martin: “At this stage, we do not know if this device would be effective for them. Some people born without a sense of smell lack an olfactory bulb, which is the first area of the brain that processes odors. Additionally, for individuals who have never had a sense of smell, the restoration process could be painful, just as cochlear implants can be for people born deaf. Our current target audience is therefore adults who have lost their sense of smell.”
To read the full interview and learn more about this project, click here.
Postponement of the annual support application campaign
Initially scheduled to run until March 31, the annual support application campaign has been exceptionally postponed to 2026. This decision follows the extension of ongoing projects into 2025.
We look forward to receiving your new applications next year. In the meantime, stay informed by visiting our website.
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