Cafe Sci SV: Killing Pain
Killing Pain with Killer Snails
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Come to SRI for a conversation with our next Café Scientifique speaker: Dr. George Miljanich CEO, Airmid, Inc. will discuss: Killing Pain with Killer Snails
The lethal harpoon tipped proboscis of the Magician's cone snail is amazing to see in action. For Dr. George Miljanich, the true beauty of this ocean dwelling predator lay within the complex cocktail of toxins in its venom. One of the toxins interferes with the ability of pain sensing nerves to send signals to the brain and thus held the promise of a new way to treat pain.
Historically, people suffering from debilitating forms of severe chronic pain had few treatment options beyond large doses of opioid narcotics. However, for many patients this pain is not adequately controlled by opioids. These patients received a new treatment option when, in 2004, the FDA approved a new medicine that is a synthetic copy of a toxin found in the venom of the cone snail (Conus Magus).
Dr. Miljanich was involved with the research and development of the new medicine, ziconotide, while senior medical director at Elan Pharmaceuticals. Currently, he is CEO of Airmid where he is focused on developing new toxin-based medicines for treating autoimmune diseases. Dr. Miljanich will lead a wide ranging discussion on the potential of developing human therapeutics derived from the venom from various species.
Dr. Miljanich received a BS in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, a PhD in chemistry from U.C. Santa Cruz, and conducted post-doctoral research at U.C. San Francisco. While on the faculty at the University of Southern California, his research focused on calcium channel biochemistry and pharmacology, including calcium channel-blocking conotoxins. In addition to CEO of Airmid, Dr. Miljanich is Vice President of the Toxinomics Foundation, a non-profit organization devoted to developing toxin-based medicines.
SRI Menlo Park Middlefield Road at Ringwood - Dining Room in the International Building Click here for map and directions Do not park at SRI's main entrance at 333 Ravenswood Ave. Entrances to Conference Center parking are next to the church on Ravenswood and at Ringwood and Middlefield.
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