ELC Partners With the TUD Dresden University of Technology to Advance Scientific Research at the Intersection of Fragrance and Emotion

Press Release, Sep 9, 2024

New York, NEW YORK, September 9, 2024 – The Estée Lauder Companies (NYSE: EL) (ELC) today announced a scientific research collaboration with the TUD Dresden University of Technology and their Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, and Professor Thomas Hummel, a world-renowned leader in olfactory science, to further advance the company’s commitment to fragrance innovation and cutting-edge scientific research. The multi-year research collaboration aims to explore the neurological connections between fragrance and emotion. Findings from this research will be leveraged by ELC’s scientists and product developers to inform fragrance product and packaging innovation, consumer experiences, marketing claims, and more. 
 
“Scents have long been associated with emotions and have a powerful connection to wellness,” said Sumit Bhasin, Senior Vice President, Corporate Fragrance Research & Development, Product Development and Innovation, ELC. “As consumer interest in the functional benefits of fragrance continues to accelerate, we are thrilled to be the first prestige beauty company to partner with Dr. Hummel and leading academic institution the TUD Dresden University of Technology on neuroscience research that will provide us with deeper insights into how fragrance plays a role in evoking nostalgia.” 

This collaborative research spans a number of advanced measurement science approaches that assess the neuropathways associated with scent, psychometric and physiological analyses, brain imaging studies, and more to assess the correlation between scent and emotions. This will build upon existing studies the company has completed on the functional benefits of fragrance. Key learnings will be used at ELC’s R&D facilities worldwide, including its Paris-based Atelier, a new co-creation space opening in early 2025 exclusively focused on fragrance innovation and craftsmanship. 

“There is a unique opportunity for academia and industry to partner together to explore the power of scent,” said Dr. Thomas Hummel, M.D., Prof. Dr. med., Interdisciplinary Center Smell and Taste, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Dresden. “We are proud to partner with a fragrance powerhouse like The Estée Lauder Companies with a proven commitment to science and the continuous advancement of innovation.” 
 
Around the world, ELC is dedicated to cutting-edge science with multidisciplinary expertise ranging from basic science and advanced technologies to the intersections of physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering. The company has more than 75 years of formulation authority and is deeply integrated into the scientific community, regularly presenting at leading events and publishing in peer-reviewed journals. 

About The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.  

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. is one of the world’s leading manufacturers, marketers, and sellers of quality skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products, and is a steward of luxury and prestige brands globally. The company’s products are sold in approximately 150 countries and territories under brand names including: Estée Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Lab Series, Origins, M·A·C, La Mer, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Aveda, Jo Malone London, Bumble and bumble, Darphin Paris, TOM FORD, Smashbox, AERIN Beauty, Le Labo, Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, GLAMGLOW, KILIAN PARIS, Too Faced, Dr.Jart+, the DECIEM family of brands, including The Ordinary and NIOD, and BALMAIN BEAUTY. 

About The TUD Dresden University of Technology 

TUD Dresden University of Technology, as a University of Excellence, is one of the leading and most dynamic research institutions in Germany. With around 8,300 members of staff and around 29,000 students in 17 Faculties, it is one of Europe’s largest technically-oriented universities. Founded in 1828, today it is a globally oriented, regionally anchored top university, developing innovative solutions for the world's most pressing issues. In research and academic programs, the university unites the natural and engineering sciences with the humanities, social sciences and medicine. This wide range of disciplines is an outstanding feature that facilitates interdisciplinarity and transfer of science to society.