Thomas Lund Koch

Thomas Lund Koch is an External Researcher at the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, specializing in Molecular Cardiology and Membrane Proteins. His work focuses on the intersection of marine biology, molecular evolution, and neuropharmacology, particularly examining cone snail venoms and their evolutionary adaptations.

Dr. Koch's research interests center on venom evolution, molecular mimicry, and peptide biochemistry. His work investigates how cone snails have evolved sophisticated venom systems that mimic peptide hormones and neurotransmitters to target specific physiological pathways in prey. This research has significant implications for understanding evolutionary processes, neurobiological mechanisms, and potential therapeutic applications of venom-derived compounds. His studies span from structural characterization of novel conotoxins to evolutionary analyses of venom diversification across cone snail lineages.

His publication record demonstrates expertise in analyzing venom composition, evolutionary adaptation of toxins, and applications of venom peptides in biomedical research. His work frequently appears in high-impact journals including Nature Communications, Molecular Biology and Evolution, and Trends in Biochemical Sciences, with research spanning from fundamental evolutionary questions to potential biomedical applications.

Dr. Koch collaborates extensively with an international network of researchers, including prominent scientists in the field of marine toxinology such as Helena Safavi-Hemami and Baldomero Olivera. His work has received significant attention, with multiple publications picked up by news outlets and referenced in scholarly discussions. His research contributes to understanding how natural selection shapes molecular interactions and how these insights can inform drug discovery and development.