Australian Venom Research Unit

AUSTRALIAN VENOM RESEARCH

UNIT

This unit was established on 1 July 1994 in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Melbourne. It followed an earlier announcement by CLS Ltd (the former Commonwealth Serum Laboratories) that after a 65 year period its interest in venom and antivenom research was to cease. This was make immediately prior to the launch of CLS Ltd on the Australian Stock Exchange in May 1994.

Australia has a proud tradition of first rate venom and antivenom research. It is the intention of the foundation director of the Unit, Associate Professor Struan Sutherland, that this extremely practical and useful research be continued.

Unfortunately at present research is at a near standstill because only limited funds are available for research staff.

In May 1995 the Victoria State Government gave a seeding grant of $100, 000 to the Unit. This grant is primarily to insure vital advisory functions of the Unit to doctors is maintained on a sound footing.

Professor Sutherland's research team at CSL Ltd was involved in a number of important developments. Examples are the successful preparation of an antivenom to the Sydney Funnel-web spider, the development of Australia's unique Venom Detection Kits, and the pressure immobilisation type of first aid for managing snake bite. He has published over 300 articles in scientific and medical journals.

AVRU Objectives:

Advisory and Public Health

To provide the best available advice to medical practitioners and Poison Information Centres on the management of bites and stings by venomous Australian terrestrial and marine creatures
To increase public awareness of the dangers of venomous creatures, and the first-aid measures which may have to be used
To collect data from Australia and the Indo-Pacific region on diseases caused by envenomations and to be a Resource Centre for such information
To work closely with the World Health Organisation i matters of antivenom standardisation as well as patient care

Research

To undertake basic research into venoms of importance in Australia and the region
To establish and maintain a National Reference Collection of venoms and venom components
To collaborate with scientists working in these areas
To develop and improve antivenoms in association with a production company or companies
To seek venoms with novel activities which may have potential as either new therapeutic agents or investigational tools.

For more information regarding the Australian Venom Research Unit, contact Dr. Ken Winkel at the Australian Venom Research Unit

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