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

74 works between 2009 and 2025
All (74) Journal Article (68) Book Chapter (1) Conference Publication (5)

21 - 40 of 74 works

2024

Journal Article

Peptide toxins that target vertebrate voltage-gated sodium channels underly the painful stings of harvester ants

Robinson, Samuel D., Deuis, Jennifer R., Niu, Pancong, Touchard, Axel, Mueller, Alexander, Schendel, Vanessa, Brinkwirth, Nina, King, Glenn F., Vetter, Irina and Schmidt, Justin O. (2024). Peptide toxins that target vertebrate voltage-gated sodium channels underly the painful stings of harvester ants. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 300 (1) 105577, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105577

Peptide toxins that target vertebrate voltage-gated sodium channels underly the painful stings of harvester ants

2023

Conference Publication

Structure, function, and evolution of nettle caterpillar venom toxins

Goudarzi, Mohaddeseh H., Robinson, Samuel, Cardoso, Fernanda C., Lawrence, Nicole, Eagles, David, Chin, Y., King, Glenn F. and Walker, Andrew A. (2023). Structure, function, and evolution of nettle caterpillar venom toxins. V2D 2023: 8th Venoms to Drugs Conference, Moreton Island, QLD Australia, 9-13 October 2023.

Structure, function, and evolution of nettle caterpillar venom toxins

2023

Journal Article

Justin O Schmidt - His extraordinary impact on toxinology and arthropod biodiversity science

Binford, Greta J., Robinson, Samuel D. and Klotz, Stephen A. (2023). Justin O Schmidt - His extraordinary impact on toxinology and arthropod biodiversity science. Toxicon, 234 107287, 107287. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107287

Justin O Schmidt - His extraordinary impact on toxinology and arthropod biodiversity science

2023

Journal Article

Identification of sodium channel toxins from marine cone snails of the subgenera Textilia and Afonsoconus

McMahon, Kirsten L., O’Brien, Henrik, Schroeder, Christina I., Deuis, Jennifer R., Venkatachalam, Dhananjeyan, Huang, Di, Green, Brad R., Bandyopadhyay, Pradip K., Li, Qing, Yandell, Mark, Safavi-Hemami, Helena, Olivera, Baldomero M., Vetter, Irina and Robinson, Samuel D. (2023). Identification of sodium channel toxins from marine cone snails of the subgenera Textilia and Afonsoconus. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 80 (10) 287, 287. doi: 10.1007/s00018-023-04935-0

Identification of sodium channel toxins from marine cone snails of the subgenera Textilia and Afonsoconus

2023

Journal Article

Horizontal gene transfer underlies the painful stings of asp caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Megalopygidae)

Walker, Andrew A., Robinson, Samuel D., Merritt, David J., Cardoso, Fernanda C., Goudarzi, Mohaddeseh Hedayati, Mercedes, Raine S., Eagles, David A., Cooper, Paul, Zdenek, Christina N., Fry, Bryan G., Hall, Donald W., Vetter, Irina and King, Glenn F. (2023). Horizontal gene transfer underlies the painful stings of asp caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Megalopygidae). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120 (29) e2305871120, e2305871120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2305871120

Horizontal gene transfer underlies the painful stings of asp caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Megalopygidae)

2023

Journal Article

Characterisation of elevenin-Vc1 from the venom of Conus victoriae: a structural analogue of α-conotoxins

Krishnarjuna, Bankala, Sunanda, Punnepalli, Seow, Jeffrey, Tae, Han-Shen, Robinson, Samuel D., Belgi, Alessia, Robinson, Andrea J., Safavi-Hemami, Helena, Adams, David J. and Norton, Raymond S. (2023). Characterisation of elevenin-Vc1 from the venom of Conus victoriae: a structural analogue of α-conotoxins. Marine Drugs, 21 (2) 81. doi: 10.3390/md21020081

Characterisation of elevenin-Vc1 from the venom of Conus victoriae: a structural analogue of α-conotoxins

2023

Journal Article

Intra-colony venom diversity contributes to maintaining eusociality in a cooperatively breeding ant

Robinson, Samuel D., Schendel, Vanessa, Schroeder, Christina I., Moen, Sarah, Mueller, Alexander, Walker, Andrew A., McKinnon, Naomi, Neely, G. Gregory, Vetter, Irina, King, Glenn F. and Undheim, Eivind A. B. (2023). Intra-colony venom diversity contributes to maintaining eusociality in a cooperatively breeding ant. BMC Biology, 21 (1) 5, 5. doi: 10.1186/s12915-022-01507-9

Intra-colony venom diversity contributes to maintaining eusociality in a cooperatively breeding ant

2022

Journal Article

Venom composition and pain-causing toxins of the Australian great carpenter bee Xylocopa aruana

Shi, Naiqi, Szanto, Tibor G., He, Jia, Schroeder, Christina I., Walker, Andrew A., Deuis, Jennifer R., Vetter, Irina, Panyi, György, King, Glenn F. and Robinson, Samuel D. (2022). Venom composition and pain-causing toxins of the Australian great carpenter bee Xylocopa aruana. Scientific Reports, 12 (1) 22168, 1-13. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-26867-8

Venom composition and pain-causing toxins of the Australian great carpenter bee Xylocopa aruana

2022

Conference Publication

Structure, function, and evolution of nettle caterpillar venom toxins

Goudarzi, Mohaddeseh H., Robinson, Samuel D., Cardoso, Fernanda C., Lawrence, Nicole, Chin, Yanni, King, Glenn F. and Walker, Andrew A. (2022). Structure, function, and evolution of nettle caterpillar venom toxins. Pathogens and Natural Toxins e-Conference, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 1 July - 31 August 2022.

Structure, function, and evolution of nettle caterpillar venom toxins

2022

Journal Article

Physiological constraints dictate toxin spatial heterogeneity in snake venom glands

Kazandjian, Taline D., Hamilton, Brett R., Robinson, Samuel D., Hall, Steven R., Bartlett, Keirah E., Rowley, Paul, Wilkinson, Mark C., Casewell, Nicholas R. and Undheim, Eivind A. B. (2022). Physiological constraints dictate toxin spatial heterogeneity in snake venom glands. BMC Biology, 20 (1) 148, 1-14. doi: 10.1186/s12915-022-01350-y

Physiological constraints dictate toxin spatial heterogeneity in snake venom glands

2022

Journal Article

Proteotranscriptomics reveals the secretory dynamics of teratocytes, regulators of parasitization by an endoparasitoid wasp

Pinto, Ciro P.G., Walker, Andrew A., Robinson, Samuel D., King, Glenn F. and Rossi, Guilherme D. (2022). Proteotranscriptomics reveals the secretory dynamics of teratocytes, regulators of parasitization by an endoparasitoid wasp. Journal of Insect Physiology, 139 104395, 104395. doi: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2022.104395

Proteotranscriptomics reveals the secretory dynamics of teratocytes, regulators of parasitization by an endoparasitoid wasp

2022

Journal Article

The tarantula venom peptide Eo1a binds to the domain II S3-S4 extracellular loop of voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.8 to enhance activation

Deuis, Jennifer R., Ragnarsson, Lotten, Robinson, Samuel D., Dekan, Zoltan, Chan, Lerena, Jin, Ai-Hua, Tran, Poanna, McMahon, Kirsten L., Li, Shengnan, Wood, John N., Cox, James J., King, Glenn F., Herzig, Volker and Vetter, Irina (2022). The tarantula venom peptide Eo1a binds to the domain II S3-S4 extracellular loop of voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.8 to enhance activation. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12 789570, 789570. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.789570

The tarantula venom peptide Eo1a binds to the domain II S3-S4 extracellular loop of voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.8 to enhance activation

2021

Journal Article

Venom composition of the endoparasitoid wasp Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and functional characterization of a major venom peptide

Pinto, Ciro P.G., Walker, Andrew A., Robinson, Samuel D., Chin, Yanni K.-Y, King, Glenn F. and Rossi, Guilherme D. (2021). Venom composition of the endoparasitoid wasp Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and functional characterization of a major venom peptide. Toxicon, 202, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2021.09.002

Venom composition of the endoparasitoid wasp Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and functional characterization of a major venom peptide

2021

Journal Article

A pain-causing and paralytic ant venom glycopeptide

Robinson, Samuel D., Kambanis, Lucas, Clayton, Daniel, Hinneburg, Hannes, Corcilius, Leo, Mueller, Alexander, Walker, Andrew A., Keramidas, Angelo, Kulkarni, Sameer S., Jones, Alun, Vetter, Irina, Thaysen-Andersen, Morten, Payne, Richard J., King, Glenn F. and Undheim, Eivind A.B. (2021). A pain-causing and paralytic ant venom glycopeptide. iScience, 24 (10) 103175, 1-21. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103175

A pain-causing and paralytic ant venom glycopeptide

2021

Journal Article

Multipurpose peptides: the venoms of Amazonian stinging ants contain anthelmintic ponericins with diverse predatory and defensive activities

Nixon, Samantha A., Robinson, Samuel D., Agwa, Akello J., Walker, Andrew A., Choudhary, Shivani, Touchard, Axel, Undheim, Eivind A.B., Robertson, Alan, Vetter, Irina, Schroeder, Christina I., Kotze, Andrew C., Herzig, Volker and King, Glenn F. (2021). Multipurpose peptides: the venoms of Amazonian stinging ants contain anthelmintic ponericins with diverse predatory and defensive activities. Biochemical Pharmacology, 192 114693. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114693

Multipurpose peptides: the venoms of Amazonian stinging ants contain anthelmintic ponericins with diverse predatory and defensive activities

2021

Journal Article

Venom chemistry underlying the painful stings of velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae)

Jensen, Timo, Walker, Andrew A., Nguyen, Son H., Jin, Ai-Hua, Deuis, Jennifer R., Vetter, Irina, King, Glenn F., Schmidt, Justin O. and Robinson, Samuel D. (2021). Venom chemistry underlying the painful stings of velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae). Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 78 (12), 5163-5177. doi: 10.1007/s00018-021-03847-1

Venom chemistry underlying the painful stings of velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae)

2021

Journal Article

Alkyne-bridged α-conotoxin Vc1.1 potently reverses mechanical allodynia in neuropathic pain models

Belgi, Alessia, Burnley, James V., MacRaild, Christopher A., Chhabra, Sandeep, Elnahriry, Khaled A., Robinson, Samuel D., Gooding, Simon G., Tae, Han-Shen, Bartels, Peter, Sadeghi, Mahsa, Zhao, Fei-Yue, Wei, Haifeng, Spanswick, David, Adams, David J., Norton, Raymond S. and Robinson, Andrea J. (2021). Alkyne-bridged α-conotoxin Vc1.1 potently reverses mechanical allodynia in neuropathic pain models. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 64 (6), 3222-3233. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c02151

Alkyne-bridged α-conotoxin Vc1.1 potently reverses mechanical allodynia in neuropathic pain models

2021

Journal Article

The zebrafish mutant uncovers an evolutionarily conserved role for Tmem161b in the control of cardiac rhythm

Koopman, Charlotte D., De Angelis, Jessica, Iyer, Swati P., Verkerk, Arie O., Da Silva, Jason, Berecki, Geza, Jeanes, Angela, Baillie, Gregory J., Paterson, Scott, Uribe, Veronica, Ehrlich, Ophelia V., Robinson, Samuel D., Garric, Laurence, Petrou, Steven, Simons, Cas, Vetter, Irina, Hogan, Benjamin M., de Boer, Teun P., Bakkers, Jeroen and Smith, Kelly A. (2021). The zebrafish mutant uncovers an evolutionarily conserved role for Tmem161b in the control of cardiac rhythm. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 118 (9) e2018220118, e2018220118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2018220118

The zebrafish mutant uncovers an evolutionarily conserved role for Tmem161b in the control of cardiac rhythm

2020

Journal Article

Pharmacology and therapeutic potential of venom peptides

Robinson, Samuel D. and Vetter, Irina (2020). Pharmacology and therapeutic potential of venom peptides. Biochemical Pharmacology, 181 114207, 114207. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114207

Pharmacology and therapeutic potential of venom peptides

2020

Journal Article

Deadly proteomes: a practical guide to proteotranscriptomics of animal venoms

Walker, Andrew A., Robinson, Samuel D., Hamilton, Brett F., Undheim, Eivind A. B. and King, Glenn F. (2020). Deadly proteomes: a practical guide to proteotranscriptomics of animal venoms. Proteomics, 20 (17-18) 1900324, e1900324. doi: 10.1002/pmic.201900324

Deadly proteomes: a practical guide to proteotranscriptomics of animal venoms

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

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communications@uq.edu.au