Zoltán Takács is a Hungarian-born toxinologist and tropical adventurer specializing in venomous snakes and snake venoms. He is a

National Geographic Society The National Geographic Society, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, is one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations in the world. Founded in 1888, its interests include geography, archaeology, natural sc ...

Emerging Explorer. Takacs holds a Ph.D. in pharmacology from

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

. As a faculty at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

he co-invented the designer toxin technology, which creates a large number of animal toxin variants and screens for those that bind to a potential drug

target Target may refer to: Warfare and shooting * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artille ...

. His other main research area is why cobras and sea snakes are resistant to their own venom. At Columbia University, Takacs served as an

Earth Institute {{Infobox organization , name = The Earth Institute , image = Ei blue1.gif , map_size = , map_alt = , map_caption = , map2 = , type = , tax_id ...

Fellow, and is a recipient of the National Geographic Society's Research and Exploration grant. He has been featured on the

National Geographic Channel National Geographic (formerly National Geographic Channel; abbreviated and trademarked as Nat Geo or Nat Geo TV) is an American pay television network and flagship channel owned by the National Geographic Global Networks unit of Disney Enter ...

and on the

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

NOVA A nova ( novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. All observed novae involve white ...

series in several snake documentaries. Takacs has traveled to 133 countries, is an aircraft pilot, scuba diver, and wildlife photographer.

References

External links

Zoltan Takacs (Official website)

Zoltan Takacs National Geographic Emerging Explorer

Chicago Tribune: Why doesn't its venom kill the cobra?
{{DEFAULTSORT:Takacs, Zoltan Columbia University College of Pharmacy alumni Hungarian scientists Living people Year of birth missing (living people)