Hi, I am Anup Parajuli. I, along with my parents and my four year old brother, arrived in Kathmandu so that my parents could take the job of caregivers at the Chhahari hostel. Chhahari has always been a wonderfül place for me to learn and grow. I passed my High School from Chhahari and I am currently studying at Soka University of America. I am thankful and very happy to become a part of the Chhahari Family. I wish the success of Chhahari. in years to come.

The topic of our Learning Cluster was “The Biochemistry of Cytotoxic Venoms.” Venoms are toxic substances that cause serious health problems, including death, if injected into the bloodstream. Numerous research studies are underway to harness their potential benefits. One noteworthy avenue of exploration involves utilizing venoms to selectively target and eradicate cancer cells. Additional investigations are underway to explore their applications in antimicrobial activity, antivenom production, pest control, and more. Our journey led us to two prominent facilities in Brazil, namely Instituto Butantan and Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN), where we sought answers to some of these questions and delved into the latest biological advancements. Our arrival in Brazil marked the beginning of this exploration on the 15th of January 2024. We chose the venoms of Bitis nasicornis and Pseudechis colletti for our research as there was little to no data about those venoms. Employing Gel Filtration Chromatography, we separated components within the venoms. Subsequently, we conducted zymography on both crude and fractionated venoms to assess their protease activity. We also performed Reverse-phase HPLC for B. nasicornis, and the fractions obtained from those were analyzed using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Additionally, we evaluated the anti-microbial activity of each venom against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. Bioinformatics tools were employed to predict the evolutionary tree of these snake species. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn and utilize these tools and technologies under the guidance of Dr. Susan Walsh, Dr. Patrick Spencer, and Dr. Guilherme Coelho. We also got to see and learn more about multipurpose gamma irradiators, mobile electron accelerators, LabRAM HR Evolution, and Optical Coherence Tomography instruments. Our exploration extended beyond laboratories. We went to museums and serpentariums. Visits to Catavento Museu de Ciência and Serpentário de Visitação deepened our understanding of snakes and scientific progress in Brazil. We also roamed around the city. While in São Paulo, we immersed ourselves in the local culture of foods, arts, and music. I loved the food there. The seafood was good. I also enjoyed the chicken and cheese pastel. The walls, buildings, and bridges were transformed into canvases, with colorful wall paintings. On Sunday, we went to Paulista Avenue. Seeing how roads were closed that day for people to wander around and have fun was truly unique. I loved how lively and crowded it was with sounds of laughter, music, and the rhythmic beats of spontaneous street dance and performances. Regrettably, our plans to experience the Ferris Wheel will have to wait for the next visit. Our departure took place on the 25th of January 2024, concluding an enriching and unforgettable exploration of Brazil’s scientific and cultural landscape. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Soka University of America, the Nieves Family Foundation, professors, friends, and family whose unwavering support contributed significantly to the success of this enriching journey.