Inspired by snake venom

Freek Vonk travels throughout the world carrying out scientific research and recording TV programmes. He milks the venom of dangerous snakes as part of his evolutionary research and in his quest for new medicines. Back in the lab, he tests the application of the venom in medicines, including antibiotics. PhD defence 6 September.

Passion for snakes

Snakes are Vonk's greatest love

Vonk is fascinated and inspired by animals. 'But snakes will always be my first and greatest love,' he writes. His passion for these reptiles is abundantly clear from the enthusiasm with which he talks and writes about them.

Quest for antibiotics

For the 'Animals in the Wild' series, Vonk and radio and tv presenter Eddy Zoëy were in Suriname, where they were looking for the giant anaconda, the world's biggest snake. Not only were they looking for the snake for the tv programme, they also wanted to acquire some reptile blood for scientific research, both to show the diversity of the animal world, and also as part of the quest for antibiotics.

Evidence

With his PhD research, Vonk provides evidence for the idea that the toxin genes of snakes evolve in different ways and are therefore more flexible than was previously thought. This is an important discovery because it means that different substances in the snake venom offer opportunities for pharmaceutical science.

Thesis statement

Many medicines originate from knowledge about biochemical substances derived from plants and animals. One of the hypotheses in Vonk's dissertation reflects this:

	Protecting and preserving biodiversity is immensely important not only for the future of our planet, but also for the future of mankind and for human health.

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Last Modified: 31-08-2012