The nervous system of the human body is a complex network, with countless messages being sent and received in every system simultaneously. The scientific understanding or manipulation of even one of these messengers has the potential to improve the quality, or even save, patients’ lives. Through their novel study of neurotransmission, the following researchers have facilitated the development of life-changing drugs in conditions as diverse as Alzheimer’s disease, incontinence, pain, and heart disease.
Blackburn, Tom
Leaving school with just a few O-levels, Dr Tom Blackburn went on to lead the teams who developed revolutionary treatments for conditions as diverse as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and epilepsy. With a career largely spent in industry, he has held senior-level positions in ICI Pharmaceuticals plc, Beecham Pharmaceuticals plc and SmithKline Beecham in the UK, and two biotech companies in the USA.
Green, Richard
Having spent his career ‘hooked’ on neuropharmacology, Professor Richard Green has worked in both industry, as Director of the Astra Neuroscience Research Unit in London, and in academic research at the University of Nottingham. His main contributions include the elucidation of many mechanisms of 5HT, and he was closely associated with both the Serotonin Club and British Association of Psychopharmacology, earning him the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award from the latter.
Humphrey, Pat
Recalling that his dream ‘was always to discover a drug’, Professor Pat Humphrey led the research team that discovered sumatriptan, a revolutionary compound that has transformed the treatment of migraine. Expanding his role in industry, he went on to discover more blockbuster drugs as Director of the Glaxo Division of Pharamacology.
Marsden, Charles
A neuro-pharmacologist for over 40 years, Professor Charles Marsden has explored the links between behaviour and the brain, and the causes and potential treatments of mental health disorders. In these interviews, he also discusses his research on the effects of environmental pressures on the developing brains of rats; findings which are echoed in humans. In 2013, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Association of Psychopharmacology.
Miner, Wes
The anti-emetic drugs that Wes Miner worked on during his time at Beecham Pharamaceuticals, such as metoclopramide and granisteron, are routinely used for the prevention of nausea and vomiting in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. As an in-vivo researcher, he emphasises the importance of understanding basic physiology, as well as designing rigorous trials, for achieving a high standard of performance in the biomedical research industry.
Moncada, Salvador
At the Wellcome Research Laboratory, Professor Salvador Moncada’s work on nitric oxide as a vasodilator has had wide-ranging implications for the drugs used in almost every medical specialty, from heart attack prevention, and inflammatory diseases to erectile dysfunction. A Director of the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, he also worked in industry and stresses the importance of inter-professional sharing and open communication between the academic and business worlds.
Sanger, Gareth
After being awarded his PhD and DSc in physiology at Manchester University, Professor Gareth Sanger went on to research new drug targets, leading to the development of several innovative drugs. These included novel anti-emetics, for which he was jointly awarded the 1998 Discoverers Award by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. Having published more than 150 papers, he teaches neuropharmacology at Queen Mary University of London and is an adviser for GI research within the pharmaceutical industry.
Silver, Ann
Author of ground-breaking book The Biology of Cholinesterases (1974), physiologist Dr Ann Silver’s research led to the development of anti-cholinergic drugs for treating Alzheimer’s disease. Her recollections in these video interviews demonstrate how the power of resilience, to institutionalised sexism, for example, and her passion for science built a career against the odds.
Witness Seminars
The Medicalization of Cannabis
Palliative Medicine in the UK c.1970-2010
Migraine: Diagnosis, Treatment and Understanding c.1960–2010
