2022 Venom Evolution, Function and Biomedical Applications GRC/GRS

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Summary/Abstract Animal venoms are among the most complex natural secretions known, comprising a mixture of bioactive compounds often referred to as toxins. Despite their complexity, the molecular structure and targets of toxins, which include receptors and voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels, are relatively conserved throughout the animal kingdom. These features make venom an extremely successful evolutionary innovation whose components are ideal candidates for discovery and development of therapeutics to treat a wide range of human pathologies. Currently, six venom-derived peptides are commercially available drugs: ziconotide for pain; exenatide for diabetes; bivalirudin for anticoagulation; captopril for hypertension; and eptifibatide and tirofiban for coronary syndrome. Venom research is growing exponentially, as evidenced by the increase in venom publications, symposia, biomedical applications and biotech startup companies, leading to important socio- economic impacts on society. As a consequence, the World Economic Forum recently designated Venomics as one of the four most promising frontiers of science, and the World Health Organization classified snakebite as a “Category A Neglected Tropical Disease” and launched a global strategy for prevention and control of snakebite envenoming. Yet, the full potential of venom remains untapped due to a lack of knowledge on many venomous animals and a scarcity of opportunities to create a cohesive research community focused on the diversity of venom. Venom occurs so broadly across the animal tree of life that no single conference links experts in the basic and applied sciences of venomous animals to those investigating the physiological and pharmacological applications of venom. The 2022 Gordon Research Conference and Seminar on Venom Evolution, Function and Biomedical Applications (Venoms-GRC/GRS) aims to overcome these hurdles by coalescing an interdisciplinary group of academic and industry professionals to address venom as both a global health problem and a route to innovation in health solutions, including alternative, non-opioid pain management strategies. Our goals are to evaluate needs and challenges pertaining to drug discovery and development, identify future goals for venom research that will enable the field to grow and impact biomedical research and drug development and, via a special issue of manuscripts from collaborations fostered at the conference, disseminate innovative future directions in the venom field. The conference chairs are making significant efforts to invite a culturally, ethnically, and gender diverse group of 150 established and early-career faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students to the 2022 Venoms-GRC/GRS. Our program will foster a community of experts focused on complementary and integrative topics in venom drug discovery and development – key issues that are relevant to NCCIH.