DH Changemakers 2026 | This scientist from Bengaluru is changing how snakebite can be treated

India loses nearly 58,000 people every year to snakebites. Yet, we still rely on a century-old method of injecting horses with venom to produce snake antivenom. It is expensive, often ineffective, and can cause severe allergic reactions.

This is where Kartik Sunagar’s research comes into play. The evolutionary biologist, who heads the Evolutionary Venomics Lab at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, studies the evolution of snake venom across different geographies and age groups. Kartik’s work focuses on creating next-generation antivenom that can work across multiple snake species. His goal is to reduce deaths and long-term injuries caused by snakebites, especially in regions where access to hospitals and antivenom is limited.