In this course, the students will explore toxins. We will discuss how toxins are formed, the “value” of the toxin to the organism that makes it, how the toxin is delivered, the effect of the toxin on the target animal and on humans. In addition, we will discuss how toxins have led to new therapies and drugs. We will also analyze some famous cases of apparent toxin poisoning. In all cases, the students will be urged to critically evaluate the data and the theories and encouraged to think of novel uses of toxins and of experiments that would provide important new information about the toxins and their effects.