Spiderman

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Spiderman

June 25, 2008. By Peter Lloyd

Chuck Kristensen was just a biologist who thought the spider was getting a bad rap. Few are poisonous, their bites are rarely fatal. And so as a hobby, Chuck decided to investigate what spider venom was all about.

To do so, he had to devise an innovative way to extract it. Which he did. But other scientists, who had never succeeded in extracting sufficient quantities of pure venom, were soon placing so many orders that Chuck was doing nothing but supplying venom. His invention had become too successful.

Biotech researchers use spider venom to block specific channels in the brain. Their innovations may someday help victims of epilepsy and stroke. Chuck sees another innovation possibility. Biological insecticides--harmless to all but the one species they are designed to kill.

Although Chuck knew his research would certainly contribute to science, he only suspected that it might help people. That was fine with Chuck. He believes that if you investigate anything, you may not always get the answer you expect, but it will always will take you somewhere. And sometimes somewhere good.

A major research lab has since hired Chuck to do just that. He'll be asking questions like, why are spiders virtually free of disease? The answer may lead us to cures for or ways to prevent human disease.

As long as everyday scientists like Spiderman Chuck Kristensen are asking these kinds of questions, we can depend less on superheros like Peter Parker to save our lives.

Peter Lloyd is co-creator with Stephen Grossman of Animal Crackers, the breakthrough problem-solving tool designed to crack your toughest business problems.

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