Students

Owen Paiva

Masters Student

Owen is a B. Med. Science graduate from the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG), who is currently carrying out research on the venom of the New Guinea Small-eyed snake, at the Australian Venom Research Unit (AVRU). His research thesis – under the supervision of Dr. Ken Winkel (Director of AVRU), Associate Professor Lohi Matainaho (Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, UPNG), and David Williams (PhD. student, AVRU; UPNG-affiliated researcher) – will eventually lead to his achieving of a Masters degree from the University of Papua New Guinea.

The focus of his thesis involves the detection of toxic venom proteins from the New Guinea small-eyed snake, and the demonstration of neurotoxicity, coagulopathy, and myotoxicity of the toxic venom fractions.