Australia researches spider venom as a treatment for breast cancer.

Queensland's Science Minister, Ros Bates, said that Australian scientists are conducting groundbreaking research on spider venom for use in treating breast cancer.

Speaking at a forum last weekend, Ms. Bates stated that scientists at James Cook University in Cairns, North Queensland, will determine through research whether the venom of Funnel Web spiders and large hairy tarantulas can kill cancer cells.

Large, hairy spiders (Tarantulas). (Source: blog.asiantown.net)

Ms. Bates asserted that this work supports previous international research suggesting that some toxins in spider venom may generate new natural molecules that kill breast cancer cells.

In a statement, Ms. Bates said: "With over 40,000 species of spiders, it is estimated that there are more than 4 million different toxins in spider venom. Now these toxins will be tested and studied to determine their potential for treating cancer in humans."

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

According to Vietnam+ - nt