Kartik Sunagar

Associate Professor at @iiscbangalore. PI at @LabVenomics. Research on animal (🐍🦂🕷️🐝🦎) venoms and novel therapeutics for snakebite in 🇮🇳.👨‍🔬👨‍💻📷

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

This is a dream come true! Ecstatic to announce that @LabVenomics at @CES_IISc, @iiscbangalore, in association with @official_ibab, and with funding from @ITBTGoK, the Government of Karnataka, will establish an ‘Antivenom Research and Development Centre’ in Bangalore.

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

It’s another #ToxinTuesday! 🐍

This week on Venom Detective: the many faces of the spectacled cobra.

Across India, Naja naja varies in colour, markings, ecology & venom. But is it one adaptable species, or many hidden lineages?

Read: https://t.co/k8eZ0476Az

@LabVenomics

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

Toxin Tuesday #3 | The Boy Who Followed Snakes into Science

This one is personal: a story about childhood curiosity, snakes, unexpected turns, and why the strange obsessions we grow up with may be worth following

Read here: https://t.co/hlJEnaReNH

#VenomDetective @LabVenomics

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

Russell’s viper venom is not one thing.

It is toxic teamwork.

Our latest Venom Detective case file explores how SVMPs and PLA2s work together to amplify damage — and how breaking this synergy could transform snakebite treatment.

Read: https://t.co/6xMzkgAPsQ

#VenomDetective

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

@DNAwink Yes. We have published a few papers too. Check them out in the publications section.

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

Excited to share the new avatar of my personal website — Venom Detective, vibe-coded from scratch! 😎

Venomous creatures, evolution, biodiversity, field stories, photography, snakebite science, and therapeutic discovery — all in one place.

🌐 https://t.co/vu23tlVCo9

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

@ravishar313 Thanks. Yes. Wildlife photography is a hobby.

[Vinay Prabhu 🧬+🐍+🕷️+💉+🇮🇳 @vinayprabhu]

We planned for a quite Arthur's round table. The literal Khanate-e-Omics showed up 💪🇮🇳
#aixblr @ravishar313 @anaturalist

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

Excited to host an AI×Bio event this Saturday at IISc, bringing together researchers, innovators, and founders to explore how AI is transforming biology, medicine, and biotech innovation. Looking forward to a day of ideas, conversations, and collaborations. #AI #Biotech #IISc

[Ravi Sharma @ravishar313]

Are you interested/building in AIxBio? Are you in Bangalore?

Me, @anaturalist and @vinayprabhu are organising "AIxBio BLR" at IISc this Saturday, April 25th at 11:30 AM. The goal? Build the community that is missing and help each other in any way possible.

We have Founders, PhDs, Faculty, PostDocs attending the event. If you are building something in the space or have a unique expertise, we would love to have you.

Register on the link below.

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

Congrats to my incredible students—Prasad Gond, MIHIR KUMAR, and Ajinkya Unawane! Their dedication and perseverance were key to collecting venoms, analyzing data, and publishing this work. 👏🎉

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

🌟 Excited to share our latest publication: a small yet important piece of work! 📚✨

🐍 Hiss and tell: What influences venom yields of India’s big four snakes?

Here, we explore venom yields of India’s “big four” snakes:

🔗 Read here: https://t.co/f4wf8txnL1

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

Special appreciation to snake rescuers nationwide who risk their lives to protect others. Many of them contribute significantly to our work

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

@rituiiserk @ANRFIndia @DBTIndia @BioMaterSci @mbuanand Fantastic! Congratulations to you and co-authors.

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

@Shai_Desai @LabVenomics @nickcasewell @CSRIatLSTM @SuyogKhochare Thanks!

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

Our latest in Communications Medicine shows how repurposing existing drugs can tackle snakebites. We demonstrate the effectiveness of small molecule inhibitors in treating bites from Russell's viper, responsible for nearly half of India's snakebite cases.

https://t.co/cpD8k9vX6t

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

@tncvidya @LabVenomics Thanks, Vidya!

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

@rituiiserk @LabVenomics @nickcasewell @CSRIatLSTM @SuyogKhochare Thanks, Ritu!

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

@Kavita_Babu_ @LabVenomics @nickcasewell @CSRIatLSTM @SuyogKhochare Thanks, Kavita!

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

@1gaurav @LabVenomics @nickcasewell @CSRIatLSTM @SuyogKhochare We haven't explored this, but it's unlikely, as scorpions have different types of toxins. However, there might be other small molecules that could be useful in treating scorpion stings.

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

Amazing work by my postdoc, Rudresha GV. His hard work and dedication made this possible. Many thanks to dear friend and collaborator, @nickcasewell.

[Kartik Sunagar @venomdetective]

4. Their production would not involve animal harm if they replace antivenoms.

5. They have the potential to be broadly neutralizing.