Professor Ray Norton and Dr Dorothy Wai
Australian scientists, led by The University of Queensland and including a team from Monash University, have received a $3M National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Centres of Research Excellence grant to explore both the health impacts of venom and its therapeutic potential.
'Curse and Cure: The Deadly Venom Project' brings together an interdisciplinary team of scientific experts who will investigate the unique properties of venom and how they can be utilised to deliver transformative therapies for critical health challenges.
Central to the project is a focus on collaboration with Indigenous communities in remote and rural areas. By partnering with Indigenous knowledge holders, healthcare providers and community representatives, the researchers will work to address venom as a threat, whilst simultaneously unpacking the promise of venom as a source of medicines for diseases that disproportionately affect Indigenous communities.
Leading the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) team is Deadly Venom Project Chief Investigator Professor Ray Norton, one of Australia's leading experts in the discovery and development of novel therapeutics from venom-derived peptides.
"Australia is home to an ecosystem of unique venomous species that are rich in bioactive molecules – in particular proteins and peptides," Professor Norton said.
"Our research will focus on developing innovative venom-based therapeutics. By combining the unique properties of venom components with cutting-edge biomedical technologies, we aim to deliver transformative therapies for critical health challenges."
Professor Norton and his team, including Dr Dorothy Wai, will bring their expertise in peptide therapeutics to the Deadly Venom Project, with a focus on novel venom-inspired drugs for the management of autoimmune, neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases, including diabetic kidney disease.
Australia is a world leader in fundamental venom research and the application of cutting-edge approaches to unravel the therapeutic potential of venoms and venom-derived compounds, offering novel pathways for drug development.
"We're excited to be joining a team of experts from across Australia who, through this NHMRC-funded program, will come together to drive a broad scope of venom-based research," Professor Norton said.
The 'Curse and Cure: The Deadly Venom Project' also includes researchers from The University of Adelaide, James Cook University, University of Sydney, Cairns Hospital, Flinders University, Royal Adelaide Hospital and Queensland University of Technology.
