My students and I have been developing a comprehensive synthesis of the definitions, classification, and diversity of toxins. The three classes of toxins include poisons passively transferred via ingestion, inhalation, or absorption across the skin; toxungens (a term we introduced) delivered through spitting, spraying, or smearing; and venoms delivered through a wound generated by direct contact in the form of a bite, sting, or puncture. Animals aren’t the only venomous organisms, as representatives among plants, fungi, protists, and even bacteria and viruses fully satisfy the widely accepted definition of “venomous.” Snake envenomation poses serious risks to humans, so we have explored the first aid treatment of snakebite and the factors that influence envenomation severity. Given the growing interest in natural molecules for therapeutics, we have examined novel treatments for surgical brain injury and envenomation of humans and companion animals.
Publications: WILL BE ADDED LATER