Helena Safavi-­Hemami

The paper introduces a method using sparse autoencoder features from InterPLM to predict neuropeptide precursors from secreted proteins across species.

The paper identifies how neuropeptide genes in cone snails evolved into toxins through mechanisms like exon shuffling and transposable element-driven recombination, revealing dynamic genome-molecular innovation interactions.

This study identifies a new family of hookworm peptides that mimic the chordate gut-brain hormone neurotensin, showing structural and functional similarity to modulate gut function.

This study characterizes conkazal-M1, a conotoxin from Conus magus, showing it acts as both a protease inhibitor and a neuroactive peptide.

The paper identifies prey-specific toxins in cephalopod venom, including neurotensin-mimicking peptides that target fish, revealing an evolutionary strategy for broad venom activity.

This study identifies venom-derived SSTR4 agonists as potential non-opioid therapeutics for peripheral pain conditions.

The paper uses structural bioinformatics to identify a new conotoxin family with a two-finger toxin fold, revealing evolutionary relationships among rapidly evolving genes.

The paper uses mitochondrial sequencing and venom-gland transcriptomics to study phylogenetic relationships and venom gene diversity in Palauan cone snails.