Danny Chou

Associate Professor of Pediatrics Endocrinology & by courtesy of Chemical & Systems Biology, Stanford University

[Gregory Ducker @gsducker]

🚨Postdoctoral position available now! 🚨We have an immediate fully funded position available in cardiac metabolism. We are looking for a highly motivated person to lead our animal model work in oxidative metabolism in heart! Pay is competitive with benefits offered. 1/2

[Danny Chou @DannyHChou]

@DoloffLab @JHUBME @HopkinsMedicine Congrats Josh! So happy for you!

[Danny Chou @DannyHChou]

@JSheltzer Welcome, Jason!

[Niko McCarty. @NikoMcCarty]

Many people know that semaglutide, the weight-loss drug, was inspired by Gila monster venom. (The reptiles' venom has a peptide, called Exendin-4, that stimulates insulin secretion & was adapted into a GLP-1 receptor agonist, called Byetta, for type II diabetes.)

But there are many other cases of venoms being converted into useful medicines. Here are others you may find interesting:

1. Botox comes from a bacterium, Clostridium botulinum, and originally evolved as a bacterial neurotoxin and defense mechanism. The molecule blocks acetylcholine release, paralyzing muscles; but in tightly controlled doses it can also treat muscle spasms, migraines, and wrinkles.

2. Ziconotide, from the cone snail Conus magnus, is a cyclic peptide toxin that blocks calcium channels in nerve cells. Cone snails use it to attack and paralyze their prey before eating them. But now it's FDA-approved as a non-opioid pain killer.

3. Tirofiban and Eptifibatide are peptides that come from snake venoms. Tirofiban mimics a peptide from the saw-scaled viper. Eptifibatide comes from pygmy rattlesnake venom. Both drugs prevent platelets from sticking together, stopping blood clots. Now they’re used to treat heart attacks.

And then there are a bunch of toxin-derived medicines that seem promising, but don't have FDA approval:

1. Alpha amanitin is from death cap mushrooms. It shuts down a cell’s protein production by blocking RNA polymerase II. Researchers want to attach it to antibodies to guide it toward pancreatic cancer cells. But it's still in preclinical trials.

2. Cobratoxin, from Thai cobra venom, binds nerve cell receptors to paralyze prey. In China, doctors use it as a painkiller. But it has some serious side effects.

3. Anfibatide, from sharp-nosed viper venom, slows blood clotting. It just completed Phase IIb clinical trials.

4. Mini-Ins is basically a fast-acting insulin that comes from a venomous cone snail. In preclinical trials, it causes quick drops in blood sugar. But it's still in early research and hasn't yet been tested in humans.

All of these examples come from our latest article in @AsimovPress... you should sign up and join us!

[Danny Chou @DannyHChou]

@StanfordPedEndo @annagloyn @acmedsci @StanfordChild @StanfordDeptMed @Stanford_ChEMH @StanfordPeds @stanfordpedsres @StanfordMCHRI Congratulations Anna @annagloyn!!!

[Wei Lab@wisc @Wei_Lab_WISC]

My lab is recruiting a postdoc fellow to characterize new biochemical pathways that control taurine and glucose metabolism. Email me at [email protected] to apply! Please help RT🙏 @longlabstanford @JudithSimcox @UWBiochem

[Del Valle Lab @DelValleLab]

Hot off the press in @NatureChemistry: Our paper on seed-competent stapled peptides that mimic the core fold of pathological tau! https://t.co/ssOL8tjjfJ Huge congrats to Isaac, Ben, and collaborators in the Jiang and Vidal labs. #PeptideScience #tau https://t.co/tqdFkMvTZM

[Carly Schissel @CarlySchissel]

Rarely post here anymore, but want to get the word out that I am recruiting at all levels for my new Peptide Chemical Biology group launching at @psu_chemistry in the fall! If you or someone you know is interested in a postdoctoral or lab tech position, please reach out!

[Danny Chou @DannyHChou]

@NinaHartrampf @ampepsoc Congratulations @NinaHartrampf !!!

[American Peptide Society @ampepsoc]

With the help of industry partner @GyrosProteinTec, we've expanded our educational database. Discover how to harness innovative features in automated peptide synthesis to create optimal conditions even for challenging sequences. #forpeptidescientists https://t.co/q5yQIUesKz

[Laetitia Voilquin-Coassolo @Laeti67202]

Thrilled to share that my work is out in @Nature. Here, we introduce Peptide Predictor, a tool for identifying new bioactive peptides. Using this method, we discovered BRP, an anti-obesity peptide. Huge thanks to the @SvenssonLab and all our collaborators! https://t.co/WfWMFDwVsR

[Leslie Vosshall PhD @leslievosshall]

HHMI Science Department is hiring! We are looking for an outstanding immunologist/ cancer biologist to join our senior leadership team. Remote work eligible, 24 weeks a year onsite, possibility of running a small lab with HHMI support
@HHMINEWS
Pls RT/
https://t.co/5IVElTCsRF

[Choi Lab @EunheeChoi12]

Excited to announce our latest review on #insulin -IGF receptor signaling! @NatRevMCB
https://t.co/InyiieoGDd
https://t.co/socqZgwzVO

[Danny Chou @DannyHChou]

@Biohazard3737 Novo needs to license this formulation 🤔

[Breakthrough T1D @BreakthroughT1D]

Friday’s announcement from the National Institutes of Health will hurt T1D research. Read our position on this harmful policy, and sign up to use your voice as an advocate at https://t.co/pkYLmHIK90

[Anna Gloyn @annagloyn]

Today @bioscicareers spent the morning with our @StanfordPeds early career faculty exploring our personality types and how they shape our approach to leadership. Wonderful to connect in person and to spend time learning & reflecting. #teamscience

[Danny Chou @DannyHChou]

@AcquiredFM I knew it!

[Danny Chou @DannyHChou]

@AcquiredFM Prediction: interview episode with Morris Chang (95%) or CC Wei (5%)?

[Danny Chou @DannyHChou]

@AcquiredFM Prediction: interview episode with Morris Chang (95%) or CC Wei (5%)?

[Breakthrough T1D @BreakthroughT1D]

In an effort to support Ravens’ tight end Mark Andrews following a tough loss to the Buffalo Bills, #BillsMafia has come together to raise over $80.4k (and counting!) for Breakthrough T1D.

Thank you to everyone who has donated, and thank you, Mark, for continuing to be an incredible T1D champion!

[Anna Gloyn @annagloyn]

Want to generate #T1DGRS in your data or data from any biobank? @SethASharp has updated his #GRS2 originally developed with @RAOram & @mnweedon - code available on @github Great collaboration with @AmberMLuckett https://t.co/EgVJovtJK7 https://t.co/7xqdLkj3P0 @StanfordPeds @StanfordPedEndo 👇👇👇