For nearly 20 years, a man from Wisconsin named Tim Friede has been deliberately exposing himself to snake venom. He started by injecting small amounts and letting venomous snakes bite him to build resistance. His unusual interest came from a deep curiosity about reptiles and dangerous animals. Now, scientists are studying his blood to help create a new kind of antivenom. Snakebites kill around 110,000 people each year, mainly in poor areas with limited medical help, according to the World Health Organization. Traditional antivenoms are expensive, only work on specific snakes, and can cause allergic reactions because they come from animal antibodies.

A study in the journal Cell shared that researchers, including Peter Kwong from Columbia University, found two rare antibodies in Friede’s blood. These antibodies can fight venom from several snakes, like cobras and black mambas. Scientists hope this could lead to a universal antivenom that is both safer and cheaper. So far, it works in mice, but human trials are still years away. It does not work on all snakes yet—like vipers—but experts such as Nicholas Casewell say the findings are promising. Friede now works with a biotech company called Centivax. He warns others not to copy him, as his experiments have caused serious injuries. While his antibodies are extraordinary, experts say only trained scientists should handle this kind of research.