# Viper Resource Grant at Texas A&M University-Kingsville

> **NIH NIH P40** · TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-KINGSVILLE · 2020 · $529,321

## Abstract

The National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), a component of Texas A&M University–Kingsville
(TAMUK), is a unique animal and biological material resource center organized to support basic and
translational research on venomous snakes and their venoms. Since the initiation of this P40 grant in 2003, the
NNTRC has served as the only federally-funded viper resource center in the U.S., playing a critical role as a
provider of high quality single-source venoms and snake-related research materials to national and
international biomedical and biological research programs. The goal of the NNTRC is to provide native
venom and purified venom components, recombinant venom proteins and specialized venom research
services of the highest quality to support snake venom – related research in the US and abroad
To achieve its goal the NNTRC will address the following three Specific Aims:
Aim #1 To operate the National Natural Toxins Research Center as a resource center that provides high
quality venom and products that support biological and biomedical research for national and International
research programs.
Aim #2 To develop and expand the collection of snakes, specialized services and outreach programs
to support growth of venom related research in the U.S.
Aim #3 To conduct a state-of-the-art applied research program to support the development of new
venom-related research services
To address these aims the NNTRC has assembled a team of skilled and experienced scientists and research
staff with specialized expertise in the management of venomous snakes and the collection and characterization of
snake venoms and anti-venoms. It has also assembled a comprehensive collection of North American venomous
snakes, more than 450 animals representing 21 different species consisting of 36 subspecies, maintained under
IACUC-approved conditions in a state-of-the-art research vivarium. The NNTRC is recognized as a reputable
and reliable source for both venom-related products and specialized services that are used by academic and
commercial research programs to support the development of new drugs and anti-venom therapeutics.
The resources of the NNTRC have been applied to research in a wide range of disciplines ranging from
genomic and proteomic studies on venom evolution to translational research on nociception and anti-venom
therapeutics, research that has been supported by multiple NIH I/C's, the NSF, Dept of Defense and national
and international research agencies. In addition to its role as a national resource for venom research and as a
center of toxinology research, the NNTRC has also played an important role in providing opportunities for
underrepresented students and faculty to gain training in the field of biomedical research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9934308
- **Project number:** 5P40OD010960-17
- **Recipient organization:** TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-KINGSVILLE
- **Principal Investigator:** Elda E. Sanchez
- **Activity code:** P40 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $529,321
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2003-04-15 → 2024-02-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9934308

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9934308, Viper Resource Grant at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (5P40OD010960-17). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9934308. Licensed CC0.

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