The Brain Prize 2021: Who Is the Migraine Expert Peter Goadsby
The world’s largest Brain prize is an international prize given to one or more scientists for their significant contribution to the field of Neuroscience. The prize was established by the Lundbeck Foundation in 2010 and awarded for the first time in 2011.
On a significant occasion, the Brain Prize 2019 was awarded to four French neuroscientists named Professor Hugues Chabriat, Professor Marie-Germaine Bousser, Dr Anne Joutel and Professor Elisabeth Tournier-Lasserve for their groundbreaking research on CADASIL. They together effectively solved the confusion and proved that CADASIL is a hereditary form of stroke which is caused by a mutation in the NOTCH3 gene on chromosome 19. The prize was worth 1 million Euros.
Who is Peter Goadsby?
Dr Peter Goadsby is the winner of The Brian Prize 2021 who is known as a Migraine expert. Goadsby was born in 1950. He has spent his early childhood in Australia.
He obtained his basic medical degree and training at the University of New South Wales, Australia. Later did Neurology training under the supervision of Professor James W. Lance in Sydney. After post-doctoral work in New York with Don Reis at Cornell, he then moved to London and completed post-graduate neurology training at Queen Square.
He started his career as a Consultant with the University of New South Wales and was promoted as Associate Professor of neurology later. He is now the Professor of Neurology in the Department of Neurology, University of California.
Peter Goadsby’s Most Acclaimed Research
The most acclaimed research of Goadsby is about migraine mechanism. He along with three more Neuroscientists identified the role of a molecule called calcitonin gene-related peptide, or CGRP, as a cause of migraine. Dr Goadsby proved that the trigeminal nerve, which detects sensation in the face, releases CGRP during a migraine attack. The findings confirmed that molecules were not the only reason for headache but definitely a notable cause.