Graeme Milligan, Professor of Molecular Pharmacology at University of Glasgow, is widely recognised as one of the leading international figures working to unravel the intricacies of trans-plasma membrane signalling. His studies and ideas have influenced approaches to drug design and candidate selection within the pharmaceutical industry. Contributions to how products of bacterial fermentation of dietary fibre in the gut control metabolic and inflammatory status have provided new avenues to tackle obesity, diabetes and inflammatory diseases of the lower gut. Innovative technologies developed in his laboratory have been incorporated into early stage drug discovery pipelines, including an entirely novel approach for treatment of post-operative pain.