fashion -WSS

fashion

author：focus 2025-09-27 10:04:59 - browse：52

A venomous West African Green Mamba snake — Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images

Antivenom, like Mexican Coke or grandma’s cookies, is still made the old-fashioned way. In antivenom’s case, the recipe is straightforward: Pump a horse full of sub-lethal doses of venom from various local snakes, wait for them to develop an immune response, tap their blood, purify out antibodies, bottle, and freeze.

This vampiric, century-old process still reigns because of the unique scientific challenge posed by snake venoms. Researchers are skilled at making antibodies in the lab against specific targets. But venoms can vary vastly. A viper induces “circulatory shock” by shredding proteins in your blood, whereas a mamba blocks receptors on your muscles, paralyzing you. A king cobra seems to have multiple methods of murder. How do you build a drug against them all?

“Snake venom is one of the most complex things you can come across,” said Kartik Sunagar, head of the Evolutionary Venomics Lab in Bengaluru, India.

Get unlimited access to award-winning journalism and exclusive events.

Subscribe Log In

Previous article： Sports medicine is finally prioritizing gender equality
Next article： Cigna, Humana reportedly in talks to merge

WSS

Despite FDA concern, risk that CAR

Cigna, Humana reportedly in talks to merge

Inside the culture of fear in the White House science office of Eric Lander

Flagship Pioneering launches a new biotech in two countries

Fetal surgery at risk from Dobbs and new abortion restrictions

Statins reduce cardiovascular risk in people living with HIV

focus

fashion

hotspot

Guidelines to prevent youth baseball injuries need more muscle

Saudi VC loops Novo Nordisk, biotech VCs into longevity incubator

Continuity nursing helped my family in our darkest PICU moments

What Henrietta Lacks's story taught me about my role as a doctor

Moonlake's readout produced a cash windfall. Risks remain

Hundreds of thousands march in Israel. Former security chiefs beg Netanyahu to halt legal overhaul

DIEP, the 'gold standard' of breast reconstruction, is under threat

J&J to emphasize cancer drugs, stop much of its vaccine research

Alkermes shareholders re

Charges dismissed against white woman who spat on Black woman during protests in Connecticut

explore

PrEP can help anyone prevent HIV. Why do so few people take it?

Readout Newsletter: The latest in Pfizer, Moderna, and Sanofi

Saudi VC loops Novo Nordisk, biotech VCs into longevity incubator

How to protect coverage of PrEP

Rep. Raul Ruiz on the physician shortage and more

Despite FDA concern, risk that CAR

hotspot

knowledge

hotspot

explore