Humphrey, Pat 06 Glaxo research group in Cambridge – somatostatin and ATP receptors
Interview of
Professor Patrick Humphrey, conducted by Professor
Tilli Tansey, for the
History of Modern Biomedicine
Research Group, 08
February 2016, in the
School of
History,
Queen Mary University of London. Transcribed by Mrs
Debra Gee, and edited by Professor Tilli Tansey and Dr Apostolos Zarros.
The project management and the technical support (filming and production) were undertaken by Mr
Adam Wilkinson and Mr
Alan Yabsley, respectively.
Professor Patrick Humphrey
OBE DSc PhD HonFBPhS (b. 1946) was born in
South Africa and graduated from the
School of Pharmacy,
University of London, in
1968, with a strong interest in drug receptor theory. After obtaining a PhD in Pharmacology at
St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School and briefly working as a Lecturer in the
Department of Physiology there, he joined
Allen & Hanburys at
Ware to initiate a project on migraine. His work on cerebrovascular pharmacology led directly to the development of sumatriptan, the prototype of a new drug class (the triptans) for the treatment of migraine. During this time, he became the overall
Director of the Glaxo
Division of Pharmacology that was not only instrumental in the discovery of sumatriptan, but also naratriptan, alosetron, ondansetron, vapiprost, and salmeterol, covering a broad spectrum of therapeutic areas. He has received many important academic honours, including an honorary Professorship from the
University of Cambridge, as well as the
Royal Society’s Mullard medal. In
1999, he was awarded the OBE for ‘services to migraine research’. He maintains a passion for research aimed at drug discovery and was latterly the successful
Head of Research and
Executive Vice President at Theravance in
South San Francisco from
2001 to 2008. He has over
300 published scientific papers and book chapters to his name and was ranked fourth in the list of total literature citations in Pharmacology and Toxicology from
1994 to 2004. He is currently consulting for a number of new, innovative pharmaceutical companies and is a non-executive Director on the
Board of
Verona Pharma plc.
The History of Modern Biomedicine Research Group is funded by the
Wellcome Trust, which is a registered charity (no. 210183). The current interview has been funded by the Wellcome Trust Strategic
Award entitled “
Makers of modern biomedicine: testimonies and legacy” (2012-2017; awarded to Professor Tilli Tansey).
The interview is part of the History of the
Modern Biomedicine
Interviews (
Digital Collection).
Access to the History of Modern Biomedicine Research Group’s website:
Link:
http://www.histmodbiomed.org/
Access to the ‘
Drugs and pharmacologists’ thematic group of resources:
Link: http://www.histmodbiomed.org/article/drugs-and-pharmacologists
Access to the transcript of this video interview and its related material:
History of Modern Biomedicine Interviews (Digital Collection), items e2016021-e2016033.
Link:
http://dx.doi.org/10.17636/01012988
Citation of the current clip: Tansey
E M (intvr); Yabsley A (prod) (2016) Humphrey, Patrick: 06 - Glaxo research group in
Cambridge: somatostatin and
ATP receptors (08-Feb-2016). History of Modern Biomedicine Interviews (Digital
Collection), item e2016027.
London: Queen Mary University of London.
Note:
Video interviews are conducted following standard oral history methodology, and have received ethical approval (reference QMREC 0642). Video interview transcripts are edited only for clarity and factual accuracy.
Related material has been deposited in the
Wellcome Library.
© The Trustee of the Wellcome Trust,
London, 2016