Venom

Darryl Heard, Ph.D., (left) an associate professor in the UF College of Veterinary Medicine’s department of small animal clinical sciences, anesthetizes a cottonmouth snake in preparation for venom extraction on Sept. 9, 2009. Heard and Ryan McCleary, a Ph.D. candidate in biology in UF’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, have collaborated to develop a safe, reliable and humane technique for collecting venom from cottonmouths — an essential part of the process of making antidotes for snake-bite victims.

(Sarah Kiewel/University of Florida)
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