This week, we profile a recent publication in Nature by Dr. Susana Vázquez Torres (pictured) and the Baker Lab from the UW Institute for Protein Design.
The paper, “De novo designed proteins neutralize lethal snake venom toxins”, helps to tackle treatments for snakebite envenoming. Snakebite envenoming is a public health threat across the globe and was listed as a highest-priority neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization. Learn more about their findings in our Q&A with Dr. Torres.
Can you provide a brief overview of your lab’s current research focus?
I conducted this study as part of my PhD under the supervision of Prof. David Baker at the University of Washington. His lab specializes in protein design, with a primary focus on developing new computational methods for protein design and structure prediction. Additionally, the lab conducts experimental characterization of de novo designed proteins, which have diverse applications ranging from enzyme and material design to the development of novel vaccines and therapeutics.
What is the significance of the findings in this publication?
This study is the first to demonstrate how protein design methods can be efficiently used to rapidly discover neutralizing proteins for highly lethal snake toxins with significant medical relevance. A key highlight was showing the efficacy of these completely de novo proteins in mice. We believe this approach could be extended to target other toxic components of snake venoms, potentially leading to more affordable and widely accessible treatments.
What are the next steps for this research?
We need to further evaluate the safety of these molecules in vivo and collaborate with other researchers to determine how to effectively apply them in real-world settings. Additionally, we should develop protein cocktails to achieve whole venom neutralization. Another potential direction is designing neutralizing proteins with broader cross-species reactivity.
Is the application of your research a primary motivator for you? If not, would you share what is?
One of my biggest motivations for this project was the opportunity to work on something with the potential to make a real-world impact. As scientists, I believe we have a social responsibility to contribute to society, and developing better treatments for snakebite—a neglected tropical disease—offers a chance to do so. Working in a leading lab with exceptional resources reinforced my sense of responsibility to use these tools for meaningful purposes.
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing life scientists in your field today?
I believe there are still many complex, open questions in biology. While protein design has made significant progress, challenges remain in fully addressing these questions and translating these molecules into real-world applications.
This work was funded by Open Philanthropy, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Wellcome Trust, European Research Council, Horizon Europe, Novo Nordisk Foundation, EuroTechUA, and National Science Foundation
