Venom, Anti-Venom and Natural Toxins Research Centre

Snakebite, as well as bites from other venomous animals (bees, wasps, scorpions), are a serious and important medical problem especially in rural areas of tropical and subtropical developing countries, including Nigeria.

Bites from snakes have been considered as a neglected extrinsic injury in 2009 by the World Health Organization. Bites appear to be more frequent in young men who are the most productive population of our society. The incidence of snakebite is higher during the rainy season and during the periods of intense agricultural activities (especially with increased farming practices) particularly in Northern Nigeria. It is therefore not surprising that there is increase in incidents as well as increase in morbidity and mortality from bites during these periods.

Huge variation in management, coupled with many patients’ traditional cultural beliefs and lack of resources, including unavailability of antivenin, contribute to a huge disease burden from snake bites.

Venom, Anti-venom and Natural Toxins Research Center (VANTRC), Ahmadu Bello University Zaria was established to pioneer and exert national and regional leadership in the research and development of antivenom sera, vaccines and anti-toxins. It is also to carry out basic and medical research into therapeutic compounds, the production of therapeutic aids and diagnostics and development of biological reagents from venom and toxins. To this end, the first phase of the Center’s activity has been concluded by providing the much needed structural facilities required. Some state-of-the-art laboratory equipment have been provided with more to come in the next few months.

Our focus at the moment is to map out all snakes of medical importance as well as other venomous animals in our environment. We hope to leverage on our functional Drosophila laboratory and the Bioinformatics and Computer Aided Drug Design Laboratory to achieve our mandates. The molecular biology laboratory will also be commissioned within the next six months. Our participating staff at the center are seasoned academics with many years of experience in toxinology research.

Please reach out if you have interest to work or collaborate with us to advance the frontiers of knowledge in venom and toxin research!

NM Danjuma, PhD
Professor/Director
VANTRC, ABU Zaria

Mission

To develop and implement quality and highly effective research and development effort on venom and natural toxins aimed at alleviating human and animal suffering.

Vision

To become a center of excellence in venom and natural toxin research and development.

Mandates

• To pioneer and exert national and regional leadership in the research and development of antivenom sera, vaccines and anti-toxins.


• To carry out basic and medical research into therapeutic compounds, the production of therapeutics aids and diagnostics and development of biological reagents from venom and toxin.

Key Areas in Research (and Innovation)

1.	Research and development of indigenous sources of antivenom sera, antitoxins, therapeutics, aids, and diagnostics.
2.	Improving antivenom access in resource-limited settings.
3.	Ensuring the supply of antivenoms through public antivenom manufacturing laboratories.
4.	Enhancing global access to interventions for the prevention, control, elimination, and eradication of neglected tropical diseases.
5.	Innovative Immunization Strategies for Antivenom Development.
6.	Preparing validated collections of representative venom pools from medically dangerous snakes.