Venomous snakes kill thousands worldwide each year. A UNC professor’s search for a better antivenom could help save lives

For people in much of the world, snakebite is a life-threatening condition.  We don't think about it much in Colorado — though it may be more top of mind this spring, since the warm winter is prompting rattlesnakes to emerge from their dens a little earlier than usual. Here, a nasty rattlesnake bite might send the occasional hiker to the emergency room.  But the World Health Organization estimates that, around the globe, as many as 138,000 people die from venomous snakebites each year.  And while antivenom can be used to treat snakebite, it’s often costly and difficult to produce.  An expert at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley hopes to change that.   Biology professor Stephen Mackessy is part of an international team that recently announced a breakthrough in the production of antivenom. The new technology could save lives by making antivenom cheaper to manufacture — and available in larger quantities.   Mackessy and his team recently published their findings in the journal Nature. He spoke with Erin O’Toole in November about the important research happening at his lab in Greeley that led to the breakthrough. We’re listening back to that conversation today.  If you enjoyed this interview, check out this In The NoCo conversation with the retiring director of the Rocky Mountain Poison Center, whose work helped develop a better antivenom to treat rattlesnake bites.  * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!  Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner  Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.