Snake Venoms

Toxinology of Snake Venoms: The Malaysian Context. - Cellular Mechanisms of Action of Snake Phospholipase A2 Toxins. - Secreted Phospholipases A2 with beta-Neurotoxic Activity. - Anticoagulant and Membrane Damaging Properties of Snake Venom Phospholipase A2 Enzymes. - Phospholipase A2 Inhibitors from Snake Blood (sbPLIs). - A Brief Appraisal on Russell's Viper Venom (Daboia russelii russelii) Proteinases. - Endothelial Cell Toxicity of Vascular Apoptosis-Inducing Proteins from Hemorrhagic Snake Venom. - Snake Venom Protease Inhibitors: Enhanced Identification, Expanding Biological Function, and Promising Future. - Snake Venom Toxins Targeted at the Nervous System. - Snake -neurotoxins and the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor. - Structural and Functional Diversity of Snake Sarafotoxins. - Crotamine: Function Diversity and Potential Applications. - Vipericidins, Snake Venom Cathelicidin-Related Peptides, in the Milieu of Reptilian Antimicrobial Polypeptides. - Cytotoxic Effects ofSnake Venoms. - Cobra Venom Factor: The Unique Component of Cobra Venom That Activates the Complement System. - Non-Cobra Venom Factor Venom Components Acting on Complement Proteins. - Snake Venom Components Affecting the Coagulation System. - Snake Venom Disintegrins. - Role of Lymphatic System on Snake Venom Absorption. - Antivenom Safety and Tolerance for the Strategy of Snake Envenomation Management.

Prof P. Gopalakrishnakone is a world leader in the characterization of the structure and function of animal and plant toxins and chemical poisons, which contain highly specific and biologically active components. He has contributed significantly to the body of knowledge regarding the anatomy of snake venom glands and the development of drug candidates from animal toxins.  Prof Gopal pioneered the development of the NUS Venom and Toxin Research Programme, which has put NUS at the forefront of toxin research internationally.  The technology platform that has been built over the years under the Venom and Toxin Research Programme, coupled with its extensive library of protein and peptides, has enabled Prof Gopal and his team to complete the discovery process of lead candidates in time and to transfer valuable supplementary information to the next discovery steps involving profiling and optimization of lead candidates.  The objective is to characterize the venom components and natural toxins at a molecular level and identify promising compounds amenable to the development of novel human therapeutics.  Prof Gopal's lab has identified over twenty peptides with unique medical indications from venom-based proteins with some already under development as therapeutics.

Prof Gopal's research studies includes structure function studies (toxin detection, biosensors, antitoxins and neutralization factors), toxicogenomics and expression studies,  antimicrobial peptides from venoms and toxins and PLA2 inhibitors as potential drug candidate for inflammatory diseases.  The techniques he employs include quantum dots to toxinology, computational biology, microarrays and protein chips. He has patented analgesic peptide, anti inflammatory peptide as well as anti rheumatoid arthritis peptides. He is exploring various possibilities of delivery systems for these peptides to target sites and administration of these peptides orally, transdermally, ocular and injections.

Prof Gopal has