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Brown recluse spider’s unique micro looping technique could inspire tougher synthetic materials

Brown recluse spiders use a unique micro looping technique to make their threads stronger than that of any other spider, a newly published UK-US collaboration has discovered.

16 Feb 2017

Bees pose biggest public health threat in Australia, research shows

An Australian-first national analysis of 13 years' data on bites and stings from venomous creatures reveals Australia's towns and cities are a hot-spot for encounters.

18 Jan 2017

Platypus venom shows potential for new diabetes treatments

Australian researchers have discovered remarkable evolutionary changes to insulin regulation in two of the nation's most iconic native animal species - the platypus and the echidna - which could pave the way for new treatments for type 2 diabetes in humans.

29 Nov 2016

Cone snail venom could hold key to efficient therapies for diabetes

New research has found that venom extracted from a species of marine cone snail could hold the key to developing 'ultra-fast-acting' insulins, leading to more efficient therapies for diabetes management.

12 Sep 2016

Media coverage details snakebite victim circumstances better than quantitative data

The majority of snakebites are often perceived as being "illegitimate," meaning they're a result of intentional human contact such as handling a snake in captivity or attempting to kill or move a wild snake; however, little data exists regarding how snakebite victims come in contact with these venomous predators.

24 Jun 2016

Researchers aim to improve medical treatment for people with insect venom allergy

A team of researchers has elucidated individual profiles of allergy reactivity in patients that are not protected after treatment with immunotherapy. The aim is to improve medical treatment of people who are allergic to insect stings.

21 Jun 2016

Regular exercise may help improve muscle repair response in older adults

Here's another reason why you should hit the gym regularly as you grow older: A new report appearing online in The FASEB Journal shows that regular exercise plays a critical role in helping muscles repair themselves as quickly as possible after injury.

20 Jun 2016

Tarantula venom could help provide relief for patients suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Researchers from The University of Adelaide in South Australia found that a specific peptide in the spider venom could be used to understand how people sense pain.

7 Jun 2016

Spider venom helps investigate pain signals experienced by irritable bowel syndrome patients

Spiders have helped researchers from Australia and the US discover a new target for irritable bowel syndrome pain.

7 Jun 2016

TSRI scientists discover new method for harnessing venoms for therapeutic use

There are lessons to be learned from venoms. Scorpions, snakes, snails, frogs and other creatures are thought to produce tens or even hundreds of millions of distinct venoms. These venoms have been honed to strike specific targets in the body.

26 May 2016

Researchers investigate effects of non-allergenic components of pollen on allergy sufferers

Up to now, research into pollen allergies has largely focused on allergens - those components of pollen that trigger hypersensitivity reactions. When it comes into contact with the nasal mucous membrane, however, pollen releases a host of other substances in addition to allergens.

13 May 2016

Allergen chip helps early detection of allergies

People can become allergically sensitized straight from birth. "Early screening is therefore important to detect allergies early so that steps can be taken to prevent serious forms of illness developing," say the MedUni Vienna allergy researchers, speaking on the occasion of World Immunology Day on 29 April and the current WHO World Immunization Week.

27 Apr 2016

Researchers observe worrisome increase in anaphylaxis rate

Anaphylaxis, known to be a sudden and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction, seems to be increasing among children, according to a new study led by a team at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre.

22 Apr 2016

Hot packs or hot-water immersion may be effective in treating jellyfish stings

A recent study by researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, published this month in the journal Toxins, may finally put to rest the ongoing debate about whether to use cold or heat to treat jellyfish stings. Their systematic and critical review provides overwhelming evidence that clinical outcomes from all kinds of jellyfish stings are improved following treatment with hot packs or hot-water immersion.

21 Apr 2016

UA researchers developing new treatment to delay serious consequences of venomous snakebites

Time is of the essence for treating venomous snakebites, and a product being developed by researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson may extend that window for treatment.

18 Apr 2016

Study highlights new approach to produce coral snake antivenom from synthetically designed DNA

Coral snake venom carries significant neurotoxicity and human injuries can be severe or even lethal. Despite this, antivenom treatments are scarce due to challenges collecting adequate amounts of venom needed to produce anti-elapidic serum. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases highlights exciting new research from the Butantan Institute in Brazil using synthetically designed DNA to produce coral-snake antivenom.

4 Mar 2016

Drugs designed to curb Rac1 signaling pathway may help relieve inflammatory pain in sufferers

New research uncovers a cascade of reactions within nerve cells that relay sensations of pain associated with inflammation. The findings, which are published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, indicate that drugs designed to curb this pathway may help relieve inflammatory pain in sufferers.

11 Feb 2016