Venomics: Molecular and functional analysis of Australian snake venoms for development of human therapeutics

澳大利亚蛇毒是一种致命的混合物，对哺乳动物的生理过程具有强大的影响，旨在使猎物无法动弹并杀死它们。毒液成分的主要目标是神经和血液凝固系统，但有理由相信毒液对哺乳动物系统还有许多其他尚未认识到的影响。该项目将结合现代分子生物学技术（特别是转录组学和蛋白质组学）与纯化毒液成分的功能和结构分析。研究人员将对大约20种澳大利亚蛇的毒液进行研究，以发现用于改进人类药物的先导化合物，以治疗高血压、出血和中风等常见疾病。

Australian snake venoms are lethal cocktails with potent effects on mammalian physiological processes, designed to immobilize and kill prey animals. Major targets of venom components are the nervous and blood coagulation systems but there is reason to believe that venoms have many other as yet unrecognized effects on mammalian systems. The project will combine techniques of modern molecular biology (particularly transcriptomics and proteomics) with functional and structural analysis of purified venom components. Venoms from approximately 20 Australian snakes will be studied to reveal lead compounds for improved human pharmaceuticals against common disorders such as high blood pressure, bleeding and stroke.