Australia researches spider venom to treat breast cancer

Queensland (Australia) Science Minister Ros Bates said that scientists in this country are conducting a groundbreaking study on spider venom to serve the treatment of breast cancer.

Speaking at a forum over the weekend, Ms Bates said scientists at James Cook University in Cairns, North Queensland, would determine through research whether the venom of funnel web spiders and tarantulas could kill cancer cells.

Tarantulas. (Source: blog.asiantown.net)

Ms Bates said the work supported previous international research suggesting that some toxins in spider venom could create new natural molecules that kill breast cancer cells.

"With more than 40,000 species of spiders, it is estimated that there are more than 4 million different toxins in spider venom. These toxins will now be tested and studied to determine their potential to treat cancer in humans," Bates said in a statement.

She affirmed that the work by researchers at James Cook University has strengthened Queensland's leading position in science in the world./.

According to Vietnam+ - nt