There’s something almost poetic about the fact that one of the most versatile therapeutic peptides in modern medicine was first discovered while researchers were trying to understand why pig intestines dilated blood vessels. Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide—VIP to those who’ve spent enough time with it to be on a first-name basis—represents the kind of scientific discovery that makes you question everything you thought you knew about biological specialization. Here’s a molecule that was supposed to be about gut function, yet it turns out to orchestrate circadian rhythms, modulate immune responses, protect neurons from degeneration, and even defend against viral infections.
The story of VIP reads less like a traditional pharmaceutical development narrative and more like a detective novel where each new clue reveals that the suspect has been living multiple secret lives. What began in 1970 as Said and Mutt’s investigation into intestinal vasodilation has evolved into a research field spanning neuroscience, immunology, endocrinology, and now, as we’ve learned from 2025 research, virology. It’s the kind of scientific journey that reminds us why basic research matters—you never know when your study of pig gut physiology might unlock the secrets of human circadian biology or provide new weapons against pandemic viruses.
Continued on our Substack: https://blog.peptide.partners/p/vip-the-master-conductor-of-biological
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