Members

Dr. Baldomero Olivera is recognized for his significant achievements in understanding the complex nature of the neurotoxic venoms of marine snails at the physical, biochemical and molecular levels. He and his staff and students in collaboration with Filipino scientists led by Dr. Lourdes J. Cruz, unravelled the diversity of the Conus peptides and their different neurotoxic effects. Their work contributed significantly to understanding how ion channels work by using the differential effects of specific Conus peptides, to the elucidation of their mechanism of action, functions and classification of the neuroactive Conus peptides into families and superfamilies, and to the development of specific drugs for pain, epilepsy and disorders of the nervous system.

Birthdate: 29 July 1941