The Problem

About 10% of the world’s population gets migraines — including some 47 million Americans. These severe headaches, often accompanied by nausea and light sensitivity, can last for days. Some treatments exist, but they don’t work for every patient and research into better medications traditionally hasn’t been well funded.

Hypothesis

David McKemy, professor of biological sciences, thinks one solution might lie in a protein called TRPM8. He recently discovered that the protein, which is crucial to cold detection, also plays a role in headaches. Could inhibiting TRPM8, thereby interfering with its function, stave off migraines?

Research

McKemy conducted experiments where he administered headache-inducing agents — nitroglycerin and a peptide known as CGRP — to mice genetically engineered without the TRPM8 protein. Remarkably, these mice showed no signs of migraine-like pain. Additionally, McKemy discovered that inhibiting the function of this protein pharmacologically in normal mice prevented the pain associated with headaches.

McKemy’s research reveals that TRPM8 could be a promising target for new drugs aimed at treating migraines. He is now advancing his research on a potential cure, with a forthcoming study looking at the genetic factors that contribute to migraine susceptibility.

Conclusion 

Migraine relief could be closer than we think, thanks to McKemy and to Arnold and Roberta “Bobbi” Mahler ’66. The Mahlers recently donated $2 million to USC Dornsife to accelerate migraine research like that being done by McKemy. The gift was made in honor of the couple’s daughter, a life-long migraine patient. “We want help for migraine sufferers sooner, better, faster,” says Bobbi Mahler.