Center for Applied Toxinology

Resumo

The aim of the Interinstitutional Center for Applied Toxinology is to establish a world-class center for research into natural toxins. The Center will develop the study of toxins with the aim to investigate their potential therapeutic use, to foster contacts between science and industry and to raise the level of scientific human resources. The Institute Butantan with its history and tradition of work with venomous animals is uniquely positioned to serve as home for the Interinstitutional Center for Applied Toxinology. The underexplored variety of natural toxins in Brazil offers rich opportunities for exploitation in bioscience and biotechnology. Discoveries and findings stemming from the Center will be considered for patent registration and internal development or where appropriate for collaboration with or transfer to Brazilian and/or foreign enterprises. To these ends, the Center will act in the following areas: Research areas: - Toxins: isolation and characterization, development of bioassays and structural determination by NMR, mass spectrometry and X-ray crystallography; - Toxin gene analysis: cloning and expression; site-directed mutagenesis; - Therapy: development of immunological and pharmacological therapies; - Development of toxins for therapeutic use in a variety of diseases. Research will cover following areas: a) antihypertensive and vasodilator substances; b) anticoagulant factors; c) inflammation and pain; d) proteases; e) neurotoxins and f) enteric bacterial toxins. Educational aims: To improve and expand existing credited courses given on venomous animals, emphasizing the importance of biodiversity and its conservation; to include microorganisms, emphasizing hygiene and disease prevention; - To create professional MSc course in Venomous Animals; - To research classrooms of primary and secondary schools and colleges via the Internet. Technology Transfer: The Center will establish an INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, with the aim of stimulating industrial participation in the Center's research activities. This Program will be open to all companies, regardless of size or nationality and the main objective will be to facilitate transfer of technology from academia to industry. The Center will industry with an access to much more comprehensive research than a typical small company could perform on its own. Membership will be open to all Brazilian companies and also to foreign companies with branches in the State Paulo. Ultimately, conserving biodiversity and arresting environmental degradation cannot be accomplished by international financial and packages alone but must involve the people through education and efforts at the grass roots level. (AU)