Current Position:
Professor of Tropical Disease Biology and Director of the Centre for Snakebite Research & Interventions
Institution:
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Discipline:
Biomedical Engineering & Biotechnology
Recognised for: Using molecular approaches to characterise the genes associated with snake venom toxins, identify new treatment strategies for snakebite, and build capacity in local communities affected by this neglected disease.
Areas of Research Interest and Expertise:
Venom, snakebite, therapeutics, tropical diseases, toxinology
Previous Positions:
Research Summary:
Every year, hundreds of thousands of people experience severe or fatal consequences from snakebites. Therapeutic options are limited and often difficult to access in vulnerable rural areas. Toxinologist Nicholas R. Casewell, PhD, is applying state-of-the-art methods, including novel venom gland organoids, to investigate the composition and evolution of snake venom toxins at both the molecular and functional levels. Using AI and bioinformatic-informed approaches, Casewell is working to develop and validate more potent and specific combination therapies that can be administered widely to reduce immediate disease severity. In collaboration with affected communities, Casewell aims to establish the efficacy of new therapeutics via clinical trials, leading the way for improved patient outcomes and global impact.
“Using a multi-disciplinary approach, our research seeks to understand the diverse and variable nature of snake venoms, so that we can develop broadly-effective, affordable, and life-saving therapies for snakebite patients across the globe.”
Key Publications:
T.Y. Du, S.R. Hall, F. Chung, S. Kurdyukov, E. Crittenden, K. Patel, C.A. Dawson, A.P. Westhorpe, K.E. Bartlett, S.A. Rasmussen, C.L. Moreno, C.E. Denes, L-O. Albulescu, A.E. Marriott, J.P. Mackay, M.C. Wilkinson, J.M. Gutiérrez, N.R. Casewell, G.G. Neely. 2024. Molecular dissection of cobra venom highlights heparinoids as an effective snakebite antidote. Science Translational Medicine. 2024.
Other Honors:
2025 Finalist, The Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the United Kingdom
2024 Principle Investigator, Research Grant, Medical Research Council
2024 Principle Investigator, Clinical Trial Grant, Open Philanthropy
2022 Principle Investigator, Research Grant, Leverhulme Trust
2021 Principle Investigator, Research Grant, Wellcome Trust
2021 Committee member of the UK Health Security Agency Expert Group on Antivenoms
2019 Young Investigator Award, Toxins journal
2018 Principle investigator, Research Grant, Medical Research Council
2018 Member of the Executive Committee and Secretary of the European Section of the International Society on Toxinology
2016 Sir Henry Dale Research Fellowship, Wellcome Trust and the Royal Society
2012 NERC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Natural Environment Research Council
In the Media:
BBC News – The teams tackling snakebites in Kenya