Evolutionary Venomics Lab

Using venoms to decode evolution, biodiversity, and advanced therapeutics.

The Evolutionary Venomics Lab uncovers how ecology and environment shape animal venoms. These fundamental discoveries are translated into next-generation therapeutics, such as monoclonal antibodies and small-molecule inhibitors, to tackle the snakebite crisis in India and globally.

Research Themes Publications

Wildlife photograph from Kartik Sunagar's portfolio

What shapes venom?

Biogeography, Caste, Climate, Diet, Development, Environment, Predators, Sex?

Does venom change over time?

How much? How quickly? In what way? What drives it? Can we predict it? How does it affect the venomous animal and its predator/prey?

How do we tackle snakebites?

Monoclonal Antibodies, Small-molecule Inhibitors, Phytocompounds, and Next-generation Antivenoms

Can we discover drugs from venoms?

Venomics.AI

A broad venomics program with real-world impact.

Our research leverages venomous animals as model systems to explore core questions in evolutionary biology and genetics. Employing advanced, multidisciplinary technologies, we reconstruct the evolutionary histories of venoms and their source organisms. Concurrently, we translate these biological insights into novel therapeutic strategies for snakebite envenoming, aiming to develop treatments with greater efficacy, safety, and affordability.

All research themes Key discoveries

Evolutionary Ecology of Venoms

Convergent evolution has driven the independent emergence of venom in over 100 distinct animal lineages. Our work examines the influence of ecological pressures, environmental variables, geographic isolation, and selective forces on the molecular composition and toxicity of venoms. This comparative research spans multiple taxa, including Serpentes, arachnids, hymenopterans, and others, with a geographic focus on the Indian subcontinent and broader ecosystems.

Venom Diversity Ecology Environment Biogeography

Translational Venomics

We aim to develop advanced therapeutics for medically important envenomings in India and globally. We reshape snakebite treatment by improving conventional antivenoms, engineering broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies, evaluating repurposed small-molecule inhibitors, and medicinal plant-derived phytocompounds.

Monoclonal antibodies Small molecules Phytocompounds Diagnostics

Species Phylogenetics

We reconstruct evolutionary relationships among venomous animals to resolve species boundaries, identify hidden diversity, and understand how lineages radiate across deep evolutionary time.

Phylogenetics Hidden diversity Species history Lineage radiation

Biogeography

We investigate how geography, habitat, and climatic history shape the distribution of venomous animals across India and beyond, revealing broad-scale patterns of diversification.

Biogeography Diversification Ecological gradients Distribution

Population & Phylogenomics

We use genome-scale datasets to resolve difficult evolutionary relationships, test deep-time hypotheses, and uncover the genomic basis of diversification in venomous animals.

Phylogenomics Genome-scale data Deep-time evolution Comparative genomics

Molecular Evolution

We examine how toxin genes and venom systems evolve under natural selection, constraint, and functional innovation across ancient and recently diverged lineages.

Innovation Adaptive evolution Functional constraint Neutral evolution

Principal Investigator

Connect Prof. Kartik Sunagar

Research profile, professional updates, and public science dispatches.

Prof. Kartik Sunagar

An Associate Professor at the CES, IISc, Bangalore, and the founder of Evolutionary Venomics Lab, VISHAM and Venomics AI.

Publications

Awards

Recognitions

Invited Talks

Full profile Resume Google Scholar Photography

People

The lab.

A multidisciplinary team of evolutionary biologists, ecologists, biochemists, and translational researchers working across scales — from toxin molecules and venom glands to biodiversity patterns, diagnostics, and therapeutic design.

View all members — Project Staff, PhD, Postdocs, Admin, Alumni, Visitors, & Collaborators →

Publications

A living map of venom research.

Follow how our science moves from field discovery to clinical translation. This collection captures the Evolutionary Venomics Lab’s progress across venom evolution, toxin ecology, molecular mechanisms, antibody discovery, antivenom development, and next-generation snakebite therapeutics.

Academic Publications Popular Science