https://www.science.org.au/learning/general-audience/history/interviews-australian-scientists/associate-professor-bryan-fry Associate Professor Bryan Fry, biochemist and molecular biologist Associate Professor Bryan Fry Bryan Grieg Fry was born in the USA in 1970. He graduated from the Portland State University Honours Program with a dual degree in Molecular Biology (BSc) and Scientific Philosophy, with a minor in Psychology (BA) (1990-95). Drawn to Australia by its numerous toxic creatures, Fry completed a PhD from the University of Queensland on the toxic natriuretic peptides of the inland taipan (1997-2000, awarded in 2002). In 2000 he worked as a research assistant at the Australian Venom Research Unit (AVRU) at the University of Melbourne. Fry then took up a postdoctoral fellowship at the National University of Singapore (2001-02) which allowed him to work on Asian snakes and build on his research into snake venom evolution. Fry returned to Australia and the University of Melbourne as deputy director and ARC postdoctoral fellow at the AVRU (2003-06). In 2007 Fry joined the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Melbourne as an ARC Queen Elizabeth II Research Fellow (2007-11). Fry is now associate professor at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland where he is group leader of the Venomics Laboratory. His work at the University of Queensland is currently supported by an ARC Future fellowship. http://researchers.uq.edu.au/researcher/540 Overview Venoms play a range of adaptive roles in the animal kingdom from predation to defense to competitor deterrence. Remarkably, despite their biological importance and uniqueness, the evolution of venom systems is poorly understood. New insights into the evolution of venom systems and the importance of the associated toxins cannot be advanced without recognition of the true biochemical, ecological, morphological and pharmacological diversity of venoms and associated venom systems. A major limitation has been the very narrow taxonomical range studied. Entire groups of venomous animals remain virtually unstudied. My research is inherently interdisciplinary, integrating ecological, evolutionary, and functional genomics approaches in order to understand the evolution of venom systems. Studies range from discovering the shock-inducing hypotensive and anticoagulant venom of the iconic Komodo Dragon through to exploring the unique temperature specific adaptations of Antarctic octopus venoms. https://biological-sciences.uq.edu.au/profile/477/bryan-fry https://herpsymposia.com/speakers/dr-bryan-grieg-fry-australia/ Bryan Fry Bryan Fry has a PhD in Biochemistry and is a Professor in Toxicology at the University of Queensland. His research focuses on how natural and unnatural toxins affect human health and the natural world, and what can be done to stop or reverse these effects. He is the author of two books and over 130 scientific papers. He has lead scientific expeditions to over 40 countries, including Antarctica, and has been inducted into the elite adventurer society The Explorers Club. He lives in Brisbane with his wife Kristina and two dogs Salt and Pepper. Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia QLD, 4072 Australia bgfry@uq.edu.au venomdoc.com Snake venoms that affect the blood either do it in an anticoagulant manner, leading to hemorrhagic shock, or in a procoagulant manner, leading to stroke or consumptive coagulopathy. Within each of these two mutually exclusive methods, a myriad of novel strategies have evolved. These include enzymes repurposed for new activities, such as destruction of fibrinogen, or normal blood clotting enzymes recruited for use in the venom, such as the activated form of Factor X, leading to a massive ‘overdose’ scenario. In addition, blood enzymes such as thrombin may be inhibited by non-enzymatic toxins. The evolutionary pressures leading to these diverse venoms are equally diverse but patterns do emerge. The ability to rapidly immobilise a prey animal through stroke has convergently evolved in species which specialise on warm-blooded prey such as birds and mammals. The fast moving blood within these prey make them particularly vulnerable to stroke. This rapid diversification of snake venoms however has direct implications for human medicine as these changes profoundly affect the ability of antivenom to cross-neutralise between species within the same genus or species in closely related genera. Sometimes even very closely related species are dramatically variable in their neutralisation by antivenom. Thus the fundamental principles that underpin the evolutionary success of venomous snakes, also make them particularly problematic from a clinical perspective. Maintaining venomous animal collections: protocols and occupational safety Bryan G. Fry Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia QLD, 4072 Australia bgfry@uq.edu.au venomdoc.com For herpetologists, toxinologists, venom producers, and zookeepers, maintenance of a healthy collection of animals for research, venom extraction purposes, and educational outreach is crucial. Proper husbandry practices are a must for ensuring the health of any institution’s collection. In addition to concerns associated with animal health, numerous daily activities associated with the routine care and maintenance of a venomous collection can pose significant risks to employee safety. Not only must proper safety precautions be taken to minimize the risks associated with collection maintenance, but also steps must be taken to minimize stress placed upon the specimens themselves, thus promoting a healthy collection that will sustainably yield the venom required for research.