Synthetic Snake Venom: The Novel Creation of Crotalid Phospholipase A2 Using Genetic Engineering

Authors

• Taylor Anderson, Utah State University
• Emily Jesgarz, Utah State University
• Richard Klein, Utah State University
• Andrew Merkley, Utah State University
• Alaric Siddoway, Utah State University

Document Type

Poster

Journal/Book Title/Conference

College of Engineering Senior Design Projects

Publisher

Utah State University

Location

Logan, UT

Publication Date

2018

Abstract

Antivenin is listed as one of the World Health Organization’s Essential Medicines¹, and as such, it is integral to a modern health care system. Antivenin is currently developed through a process of milking venomous animals, in this case, snakes, concentrating the venom, inoculating animals, and isolating antibodies found in their plasma. The aim of this project is to genetically engineer an organism to overexpress common proteins found in snake venom, thereby lowering the cost of antivenin.

Recommended Citation

Anderson, Taylor; Jesgarz, Emily; Klein, Richard; Merkley, Andrew; and Siddoway, Alaric, "Synthetic Snake Venom: The Novel Creation of Crotalid Phospholipase A2 Using Genetic Engineering" (2018). Biological Engineering. Paper 17.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/bioengr_srdesign/17