Venom CoLab is an inquiry-based, collaborative science experience for 6th-9th grade students aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Over 5 class periods, students take on roles as scientists and work together to study venom. Each group of students studies a venomous organism to find peptides or proteins from venom as potential treatment for health issues: marine snails/pain, snakes/clotting, sea anemones/autoimmune disease, or scorpions/cancer. Click on the organism button above to learn more about the challenge each organism's venom addresses!

Students serve in one of four scientist roles: Zoologist, Biochemist, Molecular Biologist, and Pharmacologist. Each role performs distinct tasks using personalized websites and augmented reality or webVR on a computer or tablet before bringing their findings to a collaborative lab meeting where students work together toward their goal of developing a new medicine.

The Zoologist focuses on the anatomy, predators and prey, and key effects of venom for 2 different species of organism

The Biochemist focuses on techniques to separate molecules in venom

The Molecular Biologist focuses on binding molecules to cell receptors

The Pharmacologist investigates the molecular mechanisms behind each health issue

Works best with Google Chrome.

For more information about Venom CoLab, please check out our FAQ!