
Overview
Availability
- Professor Glenn King is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science, University of Sydney
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Sydney
Research interests
-
Bugs and drugs
Our research harnesses the chemistry of venoms from arthropod predators, such as spiders, scorpions and centipedes, to develop novel pharmaceuticals to treat chronic pain, epilepsy and stroke. Stroke is the second-leading cause of death worldwide. In addition, it causes an extremely high incidence of disability in surviving victims due to the brain damage suffered during stroke. Likewise, chronic pain is a huge medical problem that affects one in five adults. There are few drugs available for treating chronic pain, and many of these have limited efficacy and dose-limiting side effects. Animal venoms are a rich source of stable natural peptides that potently modulate the activity of a wide range of neuronal ion channels and receptors. We have the largest collection of arthropod venoms in the world, a high-throughput pipeline for venoms-based drug discovery, protocols for rapid protein expression and structure determination, and links to key laboratories for testing the efficacy of lead molecules in rodent models of pain, epilepsy and stroke. We are using these world-class resources to move us closer to achieving our aim of developing novel analgesics for pain relief, novel drugs for treating severe paediatric epilepsies, and novel neuroprotective agents for treating stroke victims. An equally important focus of our research is on helping to safeguard Australia’s agricultural crops and reduce the spread of disease from insect pests by discovering new environmentally friendly insecticides. Currently, arthropod pests destroy approximately 15 per cent of the world’s food supply and spread pernicious diseases such as dengue and malaria. Our work is finding better, safer ways to control disease-spreading pests and protect crops.
Works
Search Professor Glenn King’s works on UQ eSpace
2016
Journal Article
Membrane-binding properties of gating modifier and pore-blocking toxins: membrane interaction is not a prerequisite for modification of channel gating
Deplazes, Evelyne, Troeira Henriques, Sonia, Smith, Jennifer J., King, Glenn F., Craik, David J., Mark, Alan E. and Schroeder, Christina I. (2016). Membrane-binding properties of gating modifier and pore-blocking toxins: membrane interaction is not a prerequisite for modification of channel gating. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Biomembranes, 1858 (4), 872-882. doi: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2016.02.002
2016
Conference Publication
Membrane-binding properties of gating-modifier and pore blocking toxins: membrane interaction is not a prerequisite for modification of channel gating
Deplazes, Evelyne, Henriques, Sonia Troeira, King, Glenn F., Craik, David J., Mark, Alan E. and Schroeder, Christina I. (2016). Membrane-binding properties of gating-modifier and pore blocking toxins: membrane interaction is not a prerequisite for modification of channel gating. 60th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical-Society, Los Angeles, United States, February 27- March 2 2016. St Louis, United States: Cell Press. doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.11.220
2016
Conference Publication
Using Spider Venom Peptides as Molecular Tools for Understanding Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Function
Herzig, V., Osteen, J. D., Bosmans, F., Julius, D. and King, G. F. (2016). Using Spider Venom Peptides as Molecular Tools for Understanding Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Function. 34th European Peptide Symposium, Leipzig, Germany, 4‐9 September 2016. HOBOKEN: Wiley.
2016
Conference Publication
Exploring the immunosuppressive potential of venom-derived molecules
Ryan, R., Ikonomopoulou, M., Haigh, O., Lutzky, V, Martinez, Jimenez R., Ratnatunga, C., Wong, Y., Rojas, Leal, I, Lopez, A., Fry, B., Herzig, V, King, G. and Miles, J. (2016). Exploring the immunosuppressive potential of venom-derived molecules. International Congress of Immunology (ICI), Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 21-26 August 2016. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley - VCH. doi: 10.1002/eji.201670200
2016
Journal Article
Combination of Ambiguous and Unambiguous Data in the Restraint-driven Docking of Flexible Peptides with HADDOCK: The Binding of the Spider Toxin PcTx1 to the Acid Sensing Ion Channel (ASIC) 1a
Deplazes, Evelyne, Davies, Josephine, Bonvin, Alexandre M. J. J., King, Glenn F. and Mark, Alan E. (2016). Combination of Ambiguous and Unambiguous Data in the Restraint-driven Docking of Flexible Peptides with HADDOCK: The Binding of the Spider Toxin PcTx1 to the Acid Sensing Ion Channel (ASIC) 1a. Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling, 56 (1), 127-138. doi: 10.1021/acs.jcim.5b00529
2016
Conference Publication
Investigating venom-derived molecules that augment human immune function
Jimenez-Martinez, R., Ikonomopoulou, M., Haigh, O., Lutzky, V, Leal-Rojas, I, Ryan, R., Ratnatunga, C., Wong, Y., Lopez, A., Fry, B., Herzig, V, King, G. and Miles, J. J. (2016). Investigating venom-derived molecules that augment human immune function. International Congress of Immunology (ICI), Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 21-26 August 2016. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley - VCH. doi: 10.1002/eji.201670200
2015
Journal Article
PcTx1 affords neuroprotection in a conscious model of stroke in hypertensive rats via selective inhibition of ASIC1a
McCarthy, Claudia A., Rash, Lachlan D., Chassagnon, Irene R., King, Glenn F. and Widdop, Robert E. (2015). PcTx1 affords neuroprotection in a conscious model of stroke in hypertensive rats via selective inhibition of ASIC1a. Neuropharmacology, 99 5986, 650-657. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2015.08.040
2015
Journal Article
Xenopus borealis as an alternative source of oocytes for biophysical and pharmacological studies of neuronal ion channels
Cristofori-Armstrong, Ben, Soh, Ming S., Talwar, Sahil, Brown, Darren L., Griffin, John D. O., Dekan, Zoltan, Stow, Jennifer L., King, Glenn F., Lynch, Joseph W. and Rash, Lachlan D. (2015). Xenopus borealis as an alternative source of oocytes for biophysical and pharmacological studies of neuronal ion channels. Scientific Reports, 5 (1) 14763, 14763.1-14763.12. doi: 10.1038/srep14763
2015
Journal Article
Molecular dynamics and functional studies define a hot spot of crystal contacts essential for PcTx1 inhibition of acid-sensing ion channel 1a
Saez, Natalie J., Deplazes, Evelyne, Cristofori-Armstrong, Ben, Chassagnon, Irene R., Lin, Xiaozhen, Mobli, Mehdi, Mark, Alan E., Rash, Lachlan D. and King, Glenn F. (2015). Molecular dynamics and functional studies define a hot spot of crystal contacts essential for PcTx1 inhibition of acid-sensing ion channel 1a. British Journal of Pharmacology, 172 (20), 4985-4995. doi: 10.1111/bph.13267
2015
Journal Article
Widespread convergence in toxin resistance by predictable molecular evolution
Ujvari, Beata, Casewell, Nicholas R., Sunagar, Kartik, Arbuckle, Kevin, Wuester, Wolfgang, Lo, Nathan, O'Meally, Denis, Beckmann, Christa, King, Glenn F., Deplazes, Evelyne and Madsen, Thomas (2015). Widespread convergence in toxin resistance by predictable molecular evolution. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 112 (38), 11911-11916. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1511706112
2015
Journal Article
Identification and characterization of ProTx-III [μ-TRTX-Tp1a], a new voltage-gated sodium channel inhibitor from venom of the tarantula Thrixopelma pruriens
Cardoso, Fernanda C., Deka, Zoltan, Rosengren, K. Johan, Erickson, Andelain, Vetter, Irina, Deuis, Jennifer R., Herzig, Volker, Alewood, Paul F., King, Glenn F. and Lewis, Richard J. (2015). Identification and characterization of ProTx-III [μ-TRTX-Tp1a], a new voltage-gated sodium channel inhibitor from venom of the tarantula Thrixopelma pruriens. Molecular Pharmacology, 88 (2), 291-303. doi: 10.1124/mol.115.098178
2015
Journal Article
Weaponization of a hormone: convergent recruitment of hyperglycemic hormone into the venom of arthropod predators
Undheim, Eivind A. B., Grimm, Lena L., Low, Chek -Fong, Morgenstern, David, Herzig, Volker, Zobel-Thropp, Pamela, Pineda, Sandy Steffany, Habib, Rosaline, Dziemborowicz, Slawomir, Fry, Bryan G., Nicholson, Graham M., Binford, Greta J., Mobli, Mehdi and King, Glenn F. (2015). Weaponization of a hormone: convergent recruitment of hyperglycemic hormone into the venom of arthropod predators. Structure, 23 (7) 3184, 1283-1292. doi: 10.1016/j.str.2015.05.003
2015
Journal Article
Three peptide modulators of the human voltage-gated sodium channel 1.7, an important analgesic target, from venom of an Australian tarantula
Chow, Chun Yuen, Cristofori-Armstrong, Ben, Undheim, Eivind A. B., King, Glenn F. and Rash, Lachlan D. (2015). Three peptide modulators of the human voltage-gated sodium channel 1.7, an important analgesic target, from venom of an Australian tarantula. Toxins, 7 (7), 2494-2513. doi: 10.3390/toxins7072494
2015
Journal Article
Backbone and side chain NMR assignments of Geobacillus stearothermophilus ZapA allow identification of residues that mediate the interaction of ZapA with FtsZ
Nogueira, Maria Luiza C., Sforca, Mauricio Luis, Chin, Yanni K. -Y., Mobli, Mehdi, Handler, Aaron, Gorbatyuk, Vitaliy Y., Robson, Scott A., King, Glenn F., Gueiros-Filho, Frederico J. and de Mattos Zeri, Ana Carolina (2015). Backbone and side chain NMR assignments of Geobacillus stearothermophilus ZapA allow identification of residues that mediate the interaction of ZapA with FtsZ. Biomolecular NMR Assignments, 9 (2), 387-391. doi: 10.1007/s12104-015-9615-1
2015
Journal Article
Seven novel modulators of the analgesic target NaV1.7 uncovered using a high-throughput venom-based discovery approach
Klint, Julie K., Smith, Jennifer J., Vetter, Irina, Rupasinghe, Darshani B., Er, Sing Yan, Senff, Sebastian, Herzig, Volker, Mobli, Mehdi, Lewis, Richard J., Bosmans, Frank and King, Glenn F. (2015). Seven novel modulators of the analgesic target NaV1.7 uncovered using a high-throughput venom-based discovery approach. British Journal of Pharmacology, 172 (10), 2445-2458. doi: 10.1111/bph.13081
2015
Journal Article
Production and packaging of a biological arsenal: evolution of centipede venoms under morphological constraint
Undheim, Eivind A.B., Hamilton, Brett R., Kurniawan, Nyoman D., Bowlay, Greg, Cribb, Bronwen W., Merritt, David J., Fry,Bryan G., King, Glenn F and Venter, Deon J. (2015). Production and packaging of a biological arsenal: evolution of centipede venoms under morphological constraint. PNAS: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 112 (13), 4026-4031. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1424068112
2015
Journal Article
RNA polymerase-induced remodelling of NusA produces a pause enhancement complex
Ma, Cong, Mobli, Mehdi, Yang, Xiao, Keller, Andrew N., King, Glenn F. and Lewis, Peter J. (2015). RNA polymerase-induced remodelling of NusA produces a pause enhancement complex. Nucleic Acids Research, 43 (5), 2829-2840. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkv108
2015
Journal Article
Safe and effective treatment of spontaneous neoplasms with interleukin 12 electro-chemo-gene therapy
Cutrera, Jeffry, King, Glenn, Jones, Pamela, Kicenuik, Kristin, Gumpel, Elias, Xia, Xueqing and Li, Shulin (2015). Safe and effective treatment of spontaneous neoplasms with interleukin 12 electro-chemo-gene therapy. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, 19 (3), 664-675. doi: 10.1111/jcmm.12382
2015
Journal Article
The insecticidal spider toxin SFI1 is a knottin peptide that blocks the pore of insect voltage-gated sodium channels via a large β-hairpin loop
Bende, Niraj S., Dziemborowicz, Slawomir, Herzig, Volker, Ramanujam, Venkatraman, Brown, Geoffrey W., Bosmans, Frank, Nicholson, Graham M., King, Glenn F. and Mobli, Mehdi (2015). The insecticidal spider toxin SFI1 is a knottin peptide that blocks the pore of insect voltage-gated sodium channels via a large β-hairpin loop. FEBS Journal, 282 (5), 904-920. doi: 10.1111/febs.13189
2015
Journal Article
Centipede venom: Recent discoveries and current state of knowledge
Undheim, Eivind, Fry, Bryan and King, Glenn F (2015). Centipede venom: Recent discoveries and current state of knowledge. Toxins, 7 (3), 679-704. doi: 10.3390/toxins7030679
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Glenn King is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Identifying the structure, function, and mechanism of action of cardiotoxic components in the venoms of box (Chironex fleckeri) and Irukandji (Carukia barnesi) jellyfish
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Nathan Palpant, Dr Andrew Walker
-
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the production, composition, and function of venom produced by the box jellyfish Chironex fleckeri and the Irukandji jellyfish Carukia barnesi
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Nathan Palpant, Dr Andrew Walker
-
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the production, composition, and function of venom produced by the box jellyfish Chironex fleckeri and the Irukandji jellyfish Carukia barnesi
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Nathan Palpant, Dr Andrew Walker
-
Doctor Philosophy
Venom-derived drugs for targeting ion channels involved in genetic epilepsies
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Lata Vadlamudi
-
Doctor Philosophy
Development of a first-in-class biologic drug for stroke
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Natalie Saez
-
Doctor Philosophy
Evolution and function of nettle caterpillar venom toxins
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Andrew Walker
-
Doctor Philosophy
Characterising the Structure and Function of Caterpillar Venom Toxins
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Andrew Walker
-
Master Philosophy
Pharmacological screening of Columbian scorpion venoms
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Andrew Walker
-
Doctor Philosophy
Using genetics to predict drug efficacy and on-target side effects of pharmacological agents
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Sonia Shah, Professor David Evans
-
Doctor Philosophy
Evaluation of Phylogenetic Patterns of Scorpion Pathophysiological Effects and Effectiveness of Next-Generation Antivenoms
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Sam Robinson, Professor Bryan Fry
-
Doctor Philosophy
Selective modulation voltage gated sodium channels to investigate pathophysiology and treatment for motor neuron disease
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Fernanda Cardoso
-
Doctor Philosophy
Evaluation of Phylogenetic Patterns of Scorpion Pathophysiological Effects and Effectiveness of Next-Generation Antivenoms
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Sam Robinson, Professor Bryan Fry
-
Doctor Philosophy
Utilising invertebrates to identify novel coagulotoxins
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bryan Fry, Dr Andrew Walker
Completed supervision
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Enhancing the efficacy of venom-derived peptide therapeutics for the treatment of ion channel diseases
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Natalie Saez
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Cyclic peptides as therapeutics for ischemic heart disease and heart failure
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Nathan Palpant
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Venomous Mechanisms: Structural Studies of Venom Modalities
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Michael Landsberg
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Identification and Evaluation of Macrocyclic hASIC1a Inhibitors for Neuroprotective Applications
Principal Advisor
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Venom Components as Analgesics and Pharmacological Tools to Elucidate Mammalian Pain Signalling Pathways
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Markus Muttenthaler, Dr Fernanda Cardoso
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Discovery and characterisation of two orally active insecticidal spider-venom peptides and elucidation of the molecular basis of their oral activity
Principal Advisor
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Is acid sensing ion channel 1a a viable therapeutic for spinal cord injury?
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Marc Ruitenberg
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Arthropod venoms in antiparasitic drug discovery: isolation and biological characterisation of venom-derived anthelmintic compounds
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Adjunct Professor Andrew Kotze
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Discovery of novel cyclic peptide acid sensing ion channel-1a inhibitors to protect heart from ischemia-reperfusion injury
Principal Advisor
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Rational development of analgesics for the treatment of chronic pain: dissecting the molecular details of the interaction between gating modifier peptide modulators and human voltage-gated sodium channels
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mehdi Mobli
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Development of NaV1.1-selective agonists with potential for treatment of Dravet syndrome epilepsy
Principal Advisor
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Discovery and characterisation of novel spider venom peptides targeting the human NaV1.7 channel
Principal Advisor
-
2018
Doctor Philosophy
A combined proteomic and transcriptomic investigation of venom from Australian sea anemones
Principal Advisor
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Peptide modulators of ASIC1a: a putative drug target for the treatment of stroke
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Lachlan Rash
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
Biotechnological applications of spider venom peptides
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Lachlan Rash
-
2016
Master Philosophy
Venoms-based discovery of novel modulators of human neuronal ¿7 and ¿3* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors
Principal Advisor
-
2015
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the molecular basis of the interaction between spider toxins and the voltage sensor domain of voltage-gated ion channels
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mehdi Mobli
-
2015
Doctor Philosophy
Engineering Insect-Resistant Plants by Transgenic Expression of an Insecticidal Spider-Venom Peptide
Principal Advisor
-
2015
Doctor Philosophy
Bioinsecticides for the control of human disease vectors
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mehdi Mobli
-
2015
Doctor Philosophy
Developing Novel Analgesics To Treat Chronic Pain: Inhibiting Voltage Gated Sodium Channel 1.7 With Spider-Venom Peptides
Principal Advisor
-
2014
Doctor Philosophy
Structural and mechanistic studies of a bacterial histidine kinase
Principal Advisor
-
2014
Doctor Philosophy
Centipede Venom Evolution: Casting light on a neglected group of venomous animals
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bryan Fry
-
2013
Doctor Philosophy
Characterisation of spider-venom peptides that target voltage-gated sodium channels: pharmacological tools and potential therapeutic leads for the treatment of chronic pain
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mehdi Mobli
-
2013
Doctor Philosophy
The Bio-logic of Venom Complexity: A Chemical and Evolutionary Investigation into the Role of Venom Complexity in Two Orders of Venomous Animals
Principal Advisor
-
2013
Doctor Philosophy
Characterising the molecular basis of the interaction between the putative drug target ASIC1a and pi-TRTX-Pc1a
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Lachlan Rash
-
2013
Doctor Philosophy
Dissecting the interaction between the sea anemone toxin APETx2 and its analgesic target, acid-sensing ion channel 3
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Lachlan Rash
-
2012
Doctor Philosophy
Probing the chemical diversity of venom from the Australian funnel-web spider Hadronyche infensa
Principal Advisor
-
2011
Doctor Philosophy
Isolation and characterization of orally active insecticidal peptides from spider venoms
Principal Advisor
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2009
Doctor Philosophy
Unraveling the role of the bacterial cell division protein DivIB
Principal Advisor
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Discovery and modulation of acid-sensing ion channel modulating venom peptides
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Lachlan Rash
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Structural studies of the Yersinia entomophaga ABC toxin complex YenTc using cryo-EM
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Michael Landsberg
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Tarantulas of Australia: phylogenetics and venomics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Lyn Cook, Professor Bryan Fry
-
2018
Doctor Philosophy
In vivo protein splicing of secreted cysteine-rich repeat proteins and their structural characterization by NMR spectroscopy
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mehdi Mobli
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
A philosophical and empirical investigation of the evolution of the toxicoferan reptile venom system
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Irina Vetter, Professor Bryan Fry
-
-
2013
Doctor Philosophy
The impact of parasitism on the host transcriptome and microRNA profile in Diadegma semiclausum - Plutella xylostella system
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Sassan Asgari
-
2012
Doctor Philosophy
Investigation of novel bioactive peptides from Australian venomous animals
Associate Advisor
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Glenn King directly for media enquiries about:
- Chronic pain
- Dravet syndrome
- drug discovery
- epilepsy
- Insecticides
- Ion channel drugs
- NMR spectroscopy
- pain drugs
- painkillers
- peptide drugs
- Protein structure
- Stroke
- Venomous animals
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