This last week I have been in Zurich, attending the 11th International Meeting on CGRP. CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide), is a chemical found in most nerves in the body. It mainly seems to play a role in protecting us from damage. Sometimes however, if it is released inappropriately from nerves, it can cause problems. This seems to be what happens in some forms of migraine and new drugs to treat this work by blocking CGRP. It remains an exciting area where much remains to be discovered. There may be some big drugs to be discovered, which could be very lucrative. There is a danger that this could encourage a cut-throat approach in the field, where nobody trusts each other.
I have been doing research on CGRP since 1988 and have attended most of the meetings. The CGRP research community is a friendly one; we share our results and we support each other as best we can. The science we talk about at the meetings is interesting but these days I more value our friendships. Science, like many activities, can be a very cut-throat business. This week has once again reminded me that there are other ways of doing business; we do seem to try to love each other.Â
Rev David Poyner