Mande Holford: Killer Snail Hunter

Published: Dec. 14, 2018, 6:01 a.m.

In a curious twist, venomous, killer sea snails are helping scientists make some incredible biomedical advances. Dr. Mand\xeb Holford is the head of the Holford Lab in New York City, but her line of research often means she\u2019s taking nighttime scuba dives in seas and oceans across the globe.

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\u201cYes, a snail can kill you,\u201d Holford tells Greta. \u201cBut a snail can also help you! In various, various ways. And that\u2019s what our lab is investigating: The power of these snails and the venom that they have to transform organisms and to transform lives.\u201d

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Holford is also an associate professor in chemistry at Hunter College and the Graduate Center at City University of New York, with scientific appointments at the American Museum of Natural History and Weill Cornell Medical College. 

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She tells us how snail venom can help relieve pain and treat cancer, how she\u2019s giving back with a line of science-based board games, and how it feels to be on a \u201cTop 100\u201d list that includes Beyonc\xe9.