Molecular toxinology of Australia's lesser known venomous snakes

Australia is home to a remarkable number of extremely venomous snakes. Despite the inherent medical importance and bioprospecting importance, the vast majority of the species remain remarkably uninvestigated. This project will examine for the first time the biochemical array of these unique venoms using multidisciplinary techniques to characterise the chemical composition of the venoms, the toxic effects produced, and the relative neutralisation by available antivenoms. This will result in better understanding of the fundamental nature of the venoms, leading to disparate outcomes including evolutionary interpretation, potential lead compounds for use in drug design and development, and even better management of envenomed patients