Every year, smell and taste disorders impact hundreds of thousands of people in the United States. Joseph leads the Sensory Science and Metabolism Unit at the
National Institute of Nursing Research. This unit looks to understand the molecular mechanisms that underpin
chemosensing (taste, smell and
chemesthesis, skin sensitivity to chemicals). She showed that
ultra-processed food can increase the risk of certain cancers and heart disease. Joseph demonstrated that people on plant-based, low-fat diets lost weight faster than those on animal-based low-carb, high-fat diets. Based on this research, Joseph believes it will be possible to improve personalised nutritional programmes. During the
COVID-19 pandemic Joseph switched her focus to consider why people suffering from
COVID-19 reported losing their sense of taste and smell. She has attempted to define clinical standards for measuring taste and smell, and is conducting investigations into the taste and smell of people suffering from
Long COVID. She was named the 2022
National Academy of Medicine American Academy of Nursing Fellow. The fellowship is the first of its kind. == Awards and honours ==