Butantan Institute

We are the Butantan Institute, a biomedical research center located in the vibrant city of São Paulo, Brazil. Our name is known around the world, but our story began with a local emergency that threatened the lives of many people. Our purpose, from our very first day, has been to use the power of scientific discovery to protect and improve public health. This mission was established at our founding on February 23rd, 1901, and it continues to guide every aspect of our work, from the laboratory to the community.

At the turn of the 20th century, cities were growing rapidly, but so was the risk of disease. In 1901, São Paulo faced a terrifying public health crisis: an outbreak of bubonic plague. This dangerous illness was spreading, and the city urgently needed a way to fight it. In response to this threat, we were created. Our first and most critical task was to produce the vital serum needed to treat people who had fallen ill. This was a monumental challenge, but we were led by a remarkable doctor named Vital Brazil. He was a true visionary who saw that a dedicated scientific institution could do more than just respond to one crisis; it could become a permanent shield, protecting the people of Brazil from a wide range of health threats. Under his guidance, we established our founding principle: to harness scientific knowledge for the well-being of the population.

With the immediate plague crisis under control, Vital Brazil directed our focus toward another serious health problem in Brazil: bites from venomous animals. Our country is home to an incredible diversity of wildlife, including many species of snakes, spiders, and scorpions whose venom can be deadly. We became pioneers in the study of these creatures and the toxins they produce. Our most famous achievement from this era was the development of a reliable process for creating antivenom, a medicine that can neutralize venom and save a person’s life. This process is both complex and fascinating. It begins with the careful collection of venom from the animals themselves. Then, we administer very small, completely safe doses of this venom to large animals, usually horses. The horses’ immune systems are incredibly strong, and they respond by producing special proteins called antibodies, which are designed to fight off the venom. Once the horses have developed enough of these powerful antibodies, we carefully collect a small amount of their blood and separate the serum, which contains the life-saving antibodies. This serum is then purified and processed to become the antivenom that is given to human patients. Thanks to this groundbreaking work, we became a world leader in antivenom production, and our methods have helped save countless lives not just in Brazil, but around the globe.

Our commitment to public health naturally led us to expand our work beyond treatments like antivenom. While antivenom is a cure that is given after a venomous bite, we also wanted to find ways to prevent people from getting sick in the first place. This led us into the world of vaccines. A vaccine works very differently from a serum; it is a tool for prevention that trains the human body's own immune system to recognize and fight off specific diseases before an infection can take hold. We dedicated our resources and scientific expertise to becoming one of the main producers of vaccines for Brazil's National Immunization Program. This is a massive, country-wide effort to protect the entire population from preventable illnesses. Every year, we produce millions of doses of essential vaccines. These include vaccines that protect against diseases like tetanus, a serious bacterial infection; diphtheria, which can cause severe breathing difficulties; and whooping cough, a highly contagious respiratory illness. We also produce the annual influenza vaccine, which helps protect people from the seasonal flu. By supplying these crucial vaccines, we play a fundamental role in safeguarding the health of millions of children and adults across Brazil.

The core mission given to us by Vital Brazil in 1901—to use science to solve pressing health problems—is as relevant today as it was over a century ago. The world is constantly facing new and evolving health challenges, and we continue to adapt our work to meet them. For example, we have dedicated significant research to developing a vaccine for dengue fever. This is a painful and sometimes dangerous disease that is spread by mosquitoes, and it affects many people in tropical regions like Brazil. Creating an effective vaccine is a major scientific goal that could prevent immense suffering. More recently, the entire world was confronted with the COVID-19 pandemic. We rose to this unprecedented challenge by playing a crucial role in Brazil's response. We partnered to produce millions of doses of the CoronaVac vaccine, ensuring that the Brazilian population had access to a vital tool in the fight against the virus. This effort demonstrated our ability to mobilize our resources and expertise quickly in a global emergency, showing how our historical foundation allows us to respond to the most urgent health needs of our time.

While our laboratories and production facilities are the heart of our scientific work, our identity extends far beyond them. We believe that our responsibility is not just to create scientific knowledge, but also to share it with the public. Our campus in São Paulo is not a closed-off facility; it is a welcoming space that includes a large, beautiful park and several museums. One of our most popular attractions is our serpentarium, where visitors can safely see and learn about the very snakes whose venom is used to create life-saving antivenom. Through these public spaces, we offer a window into the world of biomedical science. We want to demystify our work and show people the incredible process behind the medicines that protect them. We see education as an essential part of our mission. By sharing our passion for discovery, we hope to inspire the next generation of doctors, researchers, and scientists to continue the vital work of protecting and improving public health for all.