#  Venom’s Healing Potential: Mandë Holford Joins MCZ to Advance Drug Discovery 

 





February 26, 2025

 

 

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From the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology:

Mandë Holford, a leader in venom research currently at City University of New York's Hunter College, will join OEB in July 2025 as Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Curator in Malacology at the Museum of Comparative Zoology, where she will continue her groundbreaking work on venom’s medicinal potential.

Her research has already contributed to the discovery of venom-based drugs, such as a potential liver cancer treatment derived from terebrid snails. At OEB, she will oversee a state-of-the-art aquatic lab, housing venomous cephalopods—including octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish—and genetically modified organisms to study venom production at the genetic level.

Holford’s work builds on the legacy of venom-derived treatments, such as the diabetes drug Ozempic, which originated from Gila monster venom, and the painkiller Prialt, sourced from cone snails. By decoding the selective toxicity of venom, her research aims to develop more targeted and less harmful cancer therapies.

Beyond the lab, Holford is committed to science education. Through her company, Killer Snails, she uses immersive technology to inspire students from elementary to high school to see themselves as future scientists.

With venom’s vast potential still largely untapped, Holford’s move to OEB marks a new chapter in the search for life-saving medicines from nature’s most unexpected sources.

You can read more about Holford's research in a recent article in the [Boston Globe](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/02/24/metro/venom-octopus-snail-squid-poison-cancer-drugs/).



 

 

 



 

 See also:- [ Malacology ](/news/malacology)