Dr Sam Robinson
Dr

Sam Robinson

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 344 33406

Availability

Dr Sam Robinson is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Basic pharmacology Biological Sciences Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Neurosciences Peripheral nervous system Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences Receptors and membrane biology

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Monash University

Research interests

  • Biopharmacology

    My research expertise is in the discovery of new plant and animal toxins and investigation of their structure, function and potential for biomedical applications. I am an expert on plants and animals that sting, and the biology, chemistry, pharmacology and pathophysiology underlying those stings. My research is providing new understanding on the mechanisms of chemical defence and predation used by animals and plants, and the new toxins I have discovered are being used as tools for improving our understanding of the human body and designing new and better treatments for certain diseases e.g. diabetes and chronic pain. My research is multidisciplinary, covering a range of scientific fields including pharmacology, neuroscience, physiology, organismal biology, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, proteomics and structural biology. Several exciting research projects are available for outstanding prospective RHD students.

Search Professor Sam Robinson’s works on UQ eSpace

76 works between 2009 and 2025
All (76) Journal Article (70) Conference Publication (5) Book Chapter (1)

1 - 20 of 76 works

Featured

2023

Journal Article

Ant venoms contain vertebrate-selective pain-causing sodium channel toxins

Robinson, Samuel D., Deuis, Jennifer R., Touchard, Axel, Keramidas, Angelo, Mueller, Alexander, Schroeder, Christina I., Barassé, Valentine, Walker, Andrew A., Brinkwirth, Nina, Jami, Sina, Bonnafé, Elsa, Treilhou, Michel, Undheim, Eivind A. B., Schmidt, Justin O., King, Glenn F. and Vetter, Irina (2023). Ant venoms contain vertebrate-selective pain-causing sodium channel toxins. Nature Communications, 14 (1) 2977, 1-11. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-38839-1

Ant venoms contain vertebrate-selective pain-causing sodium channel toxins

2023

Journal Article

Pain-causing stinging nettle toxins target TMEM233 to modulate NaV1.7 function

Jami, Sina, Deuis, Jennifer R., Klasfauseweh, Tabea, Cheng, Xiaoyang, Kurdyukov, Sergey, Chung, Felicity, Okorokov, Andrei L., Li, Shengnan, Zhang, Jiangtao, Cristofori-Armstrong, Ben, Israel, Mathilde R., Ju, Robert J., Robinson, Samuel D., Zhao, Peng, Ragnarsson, Lotten, Andersson, Åsa, Tran, Poanna, Schendel, Vanessa, McMahon, Kirsten L., Tran, Hue N. T., Chin, Yanni K.-Y., Zhu, Yifei, Liu, Junyu, Crawford, Theo, Purushothamvasan, Saipriyaa, Habib, Abdella M., Andersson, David A., Rash, Lachlan D., Wood, John N. ... Vetter, Irina (2023). Pain-causing stinging nettle toxins target TMEM233 to modulate NaV1.7 function. Nature Communications, 14 (1) 2442. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-37963-2

Pain-causing stinging nettle toxins target TMEM233 to modulate NaV1.7 function

Featured

2022

Journal Article

Venom-derived pain-causing toxins: insights into sensory neuron function and pain mechanisms

Robinson, Samuel D., Deuis, Jennifer R., Klasfauseweh, Tabea, Schendel, Vanessa and Vetter, Irina (2022). Venom-derived pain-causing toxins: insights into sensory neuron function and pain mechanisms. Pain, 163 (S1), S46-S56. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002701

Venom-derived pain-causing toxins: insights into sensory neuron function and pain mechanisms

Featured

2022

Journal Article

Neurotoxic and cytotoxic peptides underlie the painful stings of the tree nettle Urtica ferox

Xie, Jing, Robinson, Samuel D., Gilding, Edward K., Jami, Sina, Deuis, Jennifer R., Rehm, Fabian B.H., Yap, Kuok, Ragnarsson, Lotten, Chan, Lai Yue, Hamilton, Brett R., Harvey, Peta J., Craik, David J., Vetter, Irina and Durek, Thomas (2022). Neurotoxic and cytotoxic peptides underlie the painful stings of the tree nettle Urtica ferox. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 298 (8) 102218, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102218

Neurotoxic and cytotoxic peptides underlie the painful stings of the tree nettle Urtica ferox

Featured

2022

Journal Article

A peptide toxin in ant venom mimics vertebrate EGF-like hormones to cause long-lasting hypersensitivity in mammals

Eagles, David A., Saez, Natalie J., Krishnarjuna, Bankala, Bradford, Julia J., Chin, Yanni K.-Y., Starobova, Hana, Mueller, Alexander, Reichelt, Melissa E., Undheim, Eivind A. B., Norton, Raymond S., Thomas, Walter G., Vetter, Irina, King, Glenn F. and Robinson, Samuel D. (2022). A peptide toxin in ant venom mimics vertebrate EGF-like hormones to cause long-lasting hypersensitivity in mammals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119 (7) e2112630119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2112630119

A peptide toxin in ant venom mimics vertebrate EGF-like hormones to cause long-lasting hypersensitivity in mammals

Featured

2021

Journal Article

Production, composition, and mode of action of the painful defensive venom produced by a limacodid caterpillar, Doratifera vulnerans

Walker, Andrew A., Robinson, Samuel D., Paluzzi, Jean-Paul V., Merritt, David J., Nixon, Samantha A., Schroeder, Christina I., Jin, Jiayi, Goudarzi, Mohaddeseh Hedayati, Kotze, Andrew C., Dekan, Zoltan, Sombke, Andy, Alewood, Paul F., Fry, Bryan G., Epstein, Marc E., Vetter, Irina and King, Glenn F. (2021). Production, composition, and mode of action of the painful defensive venom produced by a limacodid caterpillar, Doratifera vulnerans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 118 (18) 2023815118, e2023815118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2023815118

Production, composition, and mode of action of the painful defensive venom produced by a limacodid caterpillar, Doratifera vulnerans

Featured

2021

Journal Article

Convergent evolution of pain-inducing defensive venom components in spitting cobras

Kazandjian, T. D., Petras, D., Robinson, S. D., van Thiel, J., Greene, H. W., Arbuckle, K., Barlow, A., Carter, D. A., Wouters, R. M., Whiteley, G., Wagstaff, S. C., Arias, A. S., Albulescu, L.-O., Plettenberg Laing, A., Hall, C., Heap, A., Penrhyn-Lowe, S., McCabe, C. V., Ainsworth, S., da Silva, R. R., Dorrestein, P. C., Richardson, M. K., Gutiérrez, J. M., Calvete, J. J., Harrison, R. A., Vetter, I., Undheim, E. A. B., Wüster, W. and Casewell, N. R. (2021). Convergent evolution of pain-inducing defensive venom components in spitting cobras. Science, 371 (6527), 386-390. doi: 10.1126/science.abb9303

Convergent evolution of pain-inducing defensive venom components in spitting cobras

Featured

2020

Journal Article

Neurotoxic peptides from the venom of the giant Australian stinging tree

Gilding, Edward K., Jami, Sina, Deuis, Jennifer R., Israel, Mathilde R., Harvey, Peta J., Poth, Aaron G., Rehm, Fabian B. H., Stow, Jennifer L., Robinson, Samuel D., Yap, Kuok, Brown, Darren L., Hamilton, Brett R., Andersson, David, Craik, David J., Vetter, Irina and Durek, Thomas (2020). Neurotoxic peptides from the venom of the giant Australian stinging tree. Science Advances, 6 (38) eabb8828, 1-10. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abb8828

Neurotoxic peptides from the venom of the giant Australian stinging tree

Featured

2018

Journal Article

A comprehensive portrait of the venom of the giant red bull ant, Myrmecia gulosa, reveals a hyperdiverse hymenopteran toxin gene family

Robinson, Samuel D., Mueller, Alexander, Clayton, Daniel, Starobova, Hana, Hamilton, Brett R., Payne, Richard J., Vetter, Irina, King, Glenn F. and Undheim, Eivind A. B. (2018). A comprehensive portrait of the venom of the giant red bull ant, Myrmecia gulosa, reveals a hyperdiverse hymenopteran toxin gene family. Science Advances, 4 (9) eaau4640, eaau4640. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aau4640

A comprehensive portrait of the venom of the giant red bull ant, Myrmecia gulosa, reveals a hyperdiverse hymenopteran toxin gene family

Featured

2015

Journal Article

Specialized insulin is used for chemical warfare by fish-hunting cone snails

Safavi-Hemami, Helena, Gajewiak, Joanna, Karanth, Santhosh, Robinson, Samuel D., Ueberheide, Beatrix, Douglass, Adam D., Schlegel, Amnon, Imperial, Julita S., Watkins, Maren, Bandyopadhyay, Pradip K., Yandell, Mark, Li, Qing, Purcell, Anthony W., Norton, Raymond S., Ellgaard, Lars and Olivera, Baldomero M. (2015). Specialized insulin is used for chemical warfare by fish-hunting cone snails. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 112 (6), 1743-1748. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1423857112

Specialized insulin is used for chemical warfare by fish-hunting cone snails

2025

Journal Article

Genome of the green-head ant, Rhytidoponera metallica, reveals mechanisms of toxin evolution in a genetically hyper-diverse eusocial species

Isaksen, Anders, Nachtigall, Pedro G., Araya, Robin A., Beh, Jia Hao, Robinson, Samuel D., Hansen, Thomas F. and Undheim, Eivind A. B. (2025). Genome of the green-head ant, Rhytidoponera metallica, reveals mechanisms of toxin evolution in a genetically hyper-diverse eusocial species. Genome Biology, 26 (1) 306. doi: 10.1186/s13059-025-03777-2

Genome of the green-head ant, Rhytidoponera metallica, reveals mechanisms of toxin evolution in a genetically hyper-diverse eusocial species

2025

Journal Article

Molecular mimicry: ecology, evolution, and applications of doppelgänger peptides

Koch, Thomas L., Robinson, Samuel D. and Safavi-Hemami, Helena (2025). Molecular mimicry: ecology, evolution, and applications of doppelgänger peptides. Trends in Biochemical Sciences, 50 (9), 795-809. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2025.06.011

Molecular mimicry: ecology, evolution, and applications of doppelgänger peptides

2025

Journal Article

Biodiversity2Drugs—Renaissance of exploring nature-derived peptides for GPCR ligand discovery

Gruber, Christian W., Beets, Isabel, Boudreault, Pierre-Luc, Bolzani, Vanderlan da S., Carlsson, Jens, Fernandes, Pedro A., Freissmuth, Michael, Gilles, Nicolas, Göransson, Ulf, Hauser, Alexander S., Heinis, Christian, Kool, Jeroen, Lubell, William D., Modica, Maria Vittoria, Selent, Jana, Tytgat, Jan, Undheim, Eivind A. B., Gruber, Christian W., Freissmuth, Michael, Gilles, Nicolas, Chaigneau, Marion, Iturrioz, Xavier, Kessler, Pascal, Robin, Philippe, Beets, Isabel, Undheim, Eivind A. B., Kool, Jeroen, Leurs, Rob, Vischer, Henry ... Wootten, Denise (2025). Biodiversity2Drugs—Renaissance of exploring nature-derived peptides for GPCR ligand discovery. British Journal of Pharmacology, 182 (16), 3691-3694. doi: 10.1111/bph.70072

Biodiversity2Drugs—Renaissance of exploring nature-derived peptides for GPCR ligand discovery

2024

Journal Article

Adaptive trade-offs between vertebrate defence and insect predation drive Amazonian ant venom evolution

Touchard, Axel, Robinson, Samuel D., Lalague, Hadrien, Ascoet, Steven, Billet, Arnaud, Dejean, Alain, Tene, Nathan J., Petitclerc, Frederic, Troispoux, Valerie, Treilhou, Michel, Bonnafe, Elsa, Vetter, Irina, Vizueta, Joel, Moreau, Corrie S., Orivel, Jerome and Tysklind, Niklas (2024). Adaptive trade-offs between vertebrate defence and insect predation drive Amazonian ant venom evolution. Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 291 (2035) 20242184, 20242184. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2024.2184

Adaptive trade-offs between vertebrate defence and insect predation drive Amazonian ant venom evolution

2024

Journal Article

Exaptation of an evolutionary constraint enables behavioural control over the composition of secreted venom in a giant centipede

Schendel, Vanessa, Hamilton, Brett R., Robinson, Samuel D., Green, Kathryn, Sayre, Marcel E., Brown, Darren, Stow, Jennifer L., Øyen, Jan Philip, Voje, Kjetil L., Millard, S. Sean, Vetter, Irina, Rash, Lachlan D. and Undheim, Eivind A. B. (2024). Exaptation of an evolutionary constraint enables behavioural control over the composition of secreted venom in a giant centipede. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 9 (1) 755, 73-86. doi: 10.1038/s41559-024-02556-9

Exaptation of an evolutionary constraint enables behavioural control over the composition of secreted venom in a giant centipede

2024

Journal Article

χ-Conotoxins are an evolutionary innovation of mollusk-hunting cone snails as a counter-adaptation to prey defense

Espino, Samuel, Watkins, Maren, Probst, Rodolfo, Koch, Thomas Lund, Chase, Kevin, Imperial, Julita, Robinson, Samuel D., Flórez Salcedo, Paula, Taylor, Dylan, Gajewiak, Joanna, Yandell, Mark, Safavi-Hemami, Helena and Olivera, Baldomero M. (2024). χ-Conotoxins are an evolutionary innovation of mollusk-hunting cone snails as a counter-adaptation to prey defense. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 41 (11) msae226. doi: 10.1093/molbev/msae226

χ-Conotoxins are an evolutionary innovation of mollusk-hunting cone snails as a counter-adaptation to prey defense

2024

Journal Article

A venom peptide-induced NaV channel modulation mechanism involving the interplay between fixed channel charges and ionic gradients

Thapa, Ashvriya, Beh, Jia Hao, Robinson, Samuel D., Deuis, Jennifer R., Tran, Hue, Vetter, Irina and Keramidas, Angelo (2024). A venom peptide-induced NaV channel modulation mechanism involving the interplay between fixed channel charges and ionic gradients. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 300 (10) 107757, 107757. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107757

A venom peptide-induced NaV channel modulation mechanism involving the interplay between fixed channel charges and ionic gradients

2024

Conference Publication

GENOME OF A SINGLE WORKER OF THE GREENHEAD ANT, <i>RHYTIDOPONERA METALLICA</i>, REVEALS MECHANISMS OF TOXIN EVOLUTION IN A GENETICALLY HYPERDIVERSE EUSOCIAL SPECIES

Isaksen, Anders, Nachtigall, Pedro G., Araya, Robin A., Maurstad, Marius F., Robinson, Samuel D., Hansen, Thomas F. and Undheim, Eivind A. B. (2024). GENOME OF A SINGLE WORKER OF THE GREENHEAD ANT, RHYTIDOPONERA METALLICA, REVEALS MECHANISMS OF TOXIN EVOLUTION IN A GENETICALLY HYPERDIVERSE EUSOCIAL SPECIES. 22nd World Congress of the International-Society-of-Toxinology (IST), Singapore Singapore, May 20-25, 2024. OXFORD: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD.

GENOME OF A SINGLE WORKER OF THE GREENHEAD ANT, <i>RHYTIDOPONERA METALLICA</i>, REVEALS MECHANISMS OF TOXIN EVOLUTION IN A GENETICALLY HYPERDIVERSE EUSOCIAL SPECIES

2024

Journal Article

Venom exaptation and adaptation during the trophic switch to blood-feeding by kissing bugs

Zdenek, Christina N., Cardoso, Fernanda C., Robinson, Samuel D., Mercedes, Raine S., Raidjõe, Enriko R., Hernandez-Vargas, María José, Jin, Jiayi, Corzo, Gerardo, Vetter, Irina, King, Glenn F., Fry, Bryan G. and Walker, Andrew A. (2024). Venom exaptation and adaptation during the trophic switch to blood-feeding by kissing bugs. iScience, 27 (9) 110723, 1-19. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110723

Venom exaptation and adaptation during the trophic switch to blood-feeding by kissing bugs

2024

Journal Article

Prey shifts drive venom evolution in cone snails

Koch, Thomas Lund, Robinson, Samuel D., Salcedo, Paula Flórez, Chase, Kevin, Biggs, Jason, Fedosov, Alexander E., Yandell, Mark, Olivera, Baldomero M. and Safavi-Hemami, Helena (2024). Prey shifts drive venom evolution in cone snails. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 41 (8) msae120. doi: 10.1093/molbev/msae120

Prey shifts drive venom evolution in cone snails

Current funding

  • 2023 - 2027
    New Toxin Tools for Dissecting Pain
    NHMRC Investigator Grants
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2021 - 2024
    A new class of sodium channel toxin from ant venoms
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2020
    Uncovering the chemistry behind the world's most painful stings
    National Geographic Society
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2022
    Gain from pain: new tools from venomous animals for exploring pain pathways
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant

Availability

Dr Sam Robinson is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Available projects

  • Identification and characterisation of new pain-causing toxins from animal venoms

    Almost all venomous animals use their venoms for defensive purposes—many solely. Defensive stings or bites, such as those of ants, wasps, scorpions and spiders, are often associated with intense pain caused by toxins that directly target sensory neurons, hijacking or overstimulating neuronal transmission. These pain-causing toxins have the potential to be used as tools to study the nervous system and uncover new pain signalling components (i.e. ion channels and/or receptors). The focus of this project will be the discovery and characterisation of pain-causing toxins from ant venoms.

    The aims of this project will be:

    1. Discovery of novel pain-causing toxins
    2. Determine the mode of action of pain-causing toxins
    3. Use newly identified pain-causing toxins to investigate mammalian pain pathways

    Techniques learned/applied may include (but are not limited to) venom collection, fractionation and purification; transcriptomics, proteomics and mass spectrometry; peptide synthesis; ion channel electrophysiology, microscopy, and in vivo pain models.

    The identification and characterisation of new pain-causing toxins from venoms will provide new knowledge about methods of chemical defence used by venomous animals and has the potential to elucidate new components of human pain signalling. A better understanding of our pain physiology may ultimately lead to the development of new or improved pain treatments.

    The project will be completed at the UQ Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) under the supervision of Dr. Sam Robinson, Dr. Jennifer Deuis, and Prof. Irina Vetter. UQ has a strong, internationally-focused research culture, and it is consistently ranked in the top 1% of world universities. The IMB is a leading research institute in the Asia-Pacific region and is internationally renowned for excellence in venom research (with experts in all aspects of venom biology including venom-peptide pharmacology, chemistry, structural biology, and venoms-based drug discovery) and pain research (it is home to the IMB Centre for Pain Research).

Supervision history

Current supervision

Enquiries

Contact Dr Sam Robinson directly for media enquiries about:

  • ants
  • bees
  • cone snails
  • stings
  • toxins
  • venom
  • wasps

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au