Overview
Availability
- Dr Sam Robinson is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, Monash University
Research interests
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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.
Works
Search Professor Sam Robinson’s works on UQ eSpace
2019
Journal Article
NaV1.6 regulates excitability of mechanosensitive sensory neurons
Israel, Mathilde R., Tanaka, Brian S., Castro, Joel, Thongyoo, Panumart, Robinson, Samuel D., Zhao, Peng, Deuis, Jennifer R., Craik, David J., Durek, Thomas, Brierley, Stuart M., Waxman, Stephen G, Dib-Hajj, Sulayman D. and Vetter, Irina (2019). NaV1.6 regulates excitability of mechanosensitive sensory neurons. Journal of Physiology, 597 (14), 3751-3768. doi: 10.1113/JP278148
2019
Journal Article
The three-dimensional structure of an H-superfamily conotoxin reveals a granulin fold arising from a common ICK cysteine framework
Nielsen, Lau D., Foged, Mads M., Albert, Anastasia, Bertelsen, Andreas B., Søltoft, Cecilie L., Robinson, Samuel D., Petersen, Steen V., Purcell, Anthony W., Olivera, Baldomero M., Norton, Raymond S., Vasskog, Terje, Safavi-Hemami, Helena, Teilum, Kaare and Ellgaard, Lars (2019). The three-dimensional structure of an H-superfamily conotoxin reveals a granulin fold arising from a common ICK cysteine framework. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 294 (22), jbc.RA119.007491-8759. doi: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.007491
2019
Journal Article
Fish-hunting cone snail venoms are a rich source of minimized ligands of the vertebrate insulin receptor
Ahorukomeye, Peter, Disotuar, Maria M., Gajewiak, Joanna, Karanth, Santhosh, Watkins, Maren, Robinson, Samuel D., Flórez Salcedo, Paula, Smith, Nicholas A., Smith, Brian J., Schlegel, Amnon, Forbes, Briony E., Olivera, Baldomero, Hung-Chieh Chou, Danny and Safavi-Hemami, Helena (2019). Fish-hunting cone snail venoms are a rich source of minimized ligands of the vertebrate insulin receptor. eLife, 8 e41574. doi: 10.7554/eLife.41574
2018
Journal Article
Discovery of novel conotoxin candidates using machine learning
Li, Qing, Watkins, Maren, Robinson, Samuel D, Safavi-Hemami, Helena and Yandell, Mark (2018). Discovery of novel conotoxin candidates using machine learning. Toxins, 10 (12) 503, 503. doi: 10.3390/toxins10120503
2018
Journal Article
Buzz kill: Function and proteomic composition of venom from the Giant Assassin Fly Dolopus genitalis (Diptera: Asilidae)
Walker, Andrew, Dobson, James, Jin, Jiayi, Robinson, Samuel, Herzig, Volker, Vetter, Irina, King, Glenn and Fry, Bryan (2018). Buzz kill: Function and proteomic composition of venom from the Giant Assassin Fly Dolopus genitalis (Diptera: Asilidae). Toxins, 10 (11) 456, 456. doi: 10.3390/toxins10110456
2018
Journal Article
Entomo-venomics: the evolution, biology and biochemistry of insect venoms
Walker, Andrew A., Robinson, Samuel D., Yeates, David K., Jin, Jiayi, Baumann, Kate, Dobson, James, Fry, Bryan G. and King, Glenn F. (2018). Entomo-venomics: the evolution, biology and biochemistry of insect venoms. Toxicon: official journal of the International Society on Toxinology, 154, 15-27. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2018.09.004
2018
Journal Article
Conopeptides promote itch through human itch receptor hMgprX1
Espino, Samuel S., Robinson, Samuel D., Safavi-Hemami, Helena, Gajewiak, Joanna, Yang, Weishan, Olivera, Baldomero M. and Liu, Qin (2018). Conopeptides promote itch through human itch receptor hMgprX1. Toxicon, 154, 28-34. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2018.09.002
2017
Journal Article
Venom peptides as pharmacological tools and therapeutics for diabetes
Robinson, Samuel D. and Safavi-Hemami, Helena (2017). Venom peptides as pharmacological tools and therapeutics for diabetes. Neuropharmacology, 127, 79-86. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.07.001
2017
Journal Article
The venom repertoire of Conus gloriamaris (Chemnitz, 1777), the Glory of the Sea
Robinson, Samuel D., Li, Qing, Lu, Aiping, Bandyopadhyay, Pradip K., Yandell, Mark, Olivera, Baldomero M. and Safavi-Hemami, Helena (2017). The venom repertoire of Conus gloriamaris (Chemnitz, 1777), the Glory of the Sea. Marine Drugs, 15 (5) 145, 145. doi: 10.3390/md15050145
2017
Journal Article
The Single Disulfide-Directed β-Hairpin Fold. Dynamics, Stability, and Engineering
Chittoor, Balasubramanyam, Krishnarjuna, Bankala, Morales, Rodrigo A. V., MacRaild, Christopher A., Sadek, Maiada, Leung, Eleanor W. W., Robinson, Samuel D., Pennington, Michael W. and Norton, Raymond S. (2017). The Single Disulfide-Directed β-Hairpin Fold. Dynamics, Stability, and Engineering. Biochemistry, 56 (19), 2455-2466. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.7b00120
2017
Journal Article
Hormone-like peptides in the venoms of marine cone snails
Robinson, Samuel D., Li, Qing, Bandyopadhyay, Pradip K., Gajewiak, Joanna, Yandell, Mark, Papenfuss, Anthony T., Purcell, Anthony W., Norton, Raymond S. and Safavi-Hemami, Helena (2017). Hormone-like peptides in the venoms of marine cone snails. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 244, 11-18. doi: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.07.012
2017
Journal Article
Structure and activity of contryphan-Vc2: Importance of the D-amino acid residue
Drane, Stephen B., Robinson, Samuel D., MacRaild, Christopher A., Chhabra, Sandeep, Chittoor, Balasubramanyam, Morales, Rodrigo A. V., Leung, Eleanor W. W., Belgi, Alessia, Espino, Samuel S., Olivera, Baldomero M., Robinson, Andrea J., Chalmers, David K. and Norton, Raymond S. (2017). Structure and activity of contryphan-Vc2: Importance of the D-amino acid residue. Toxicon, 129, 113-122. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.02.012
2017
Journal Article
Venom peptides as therapeutics: advances, challenges and the future of venom-peptide discovery
Robinson, Samuel D., Undheim, Eivind A. B., Ueberheide, Beatrix and King, Glenn F. (2017). Venom peptides as therapeutics: advances, challenges and the future of venom-peptide discovery. Expert Review of Proteomics, 14 (10), 931-939. doi: 10.1080/14789450.2017.1377613
2016
Journal Article
Insulin as a weapon
Robinson, Samuel D. and Safavi-Hemami, Helena (2016). Insulin as a weapon. Toxicon, 123, 56-61. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.10.010
2016
Journal Article
Stereoselective synthesis and structural elucidation of dicarba peptides
Gleeson, Ellen C., Wang, Zhen J., Robinson, Samuel D., Chhabra, Sandeep, MacRaild, Christopher A., Jackson, W. Roy, Norton, Raymond S. and Robinson, Andrea J. (2016). Stereoselective synthesis and structural elucidation of dicarba peptides. Chemical Communications, 52 (24), 4446-4449. doi: 10.1039/c5cc10540d
2016
Journal Article
A naturally occurring peptide with an elementary single disulfide-directed β-hairpin fold
Robinson, Samuel D., Chhabra, Sandeep, Belgi, Alessia, Chittoor, Balasubramanyam, Safavi-Hemami, Helena, Robinson, Andrea J., Papenfuss, Anthony T., Purcell, Anthony W. and Norton, Raymond S. (2016). A naturally occurring peptide with an elementary single disulfide-directed β-hairpin fold. Structure, 24 (2), 293-299. doi: 10.1016/j.str.2015.11.015
2015
Journal Article
Tissue plasminogen activator inhibits NMDA-receptor-mediated increases in calcium levels in cultured hippocampal neurons
Robinson, Samuel D., Lee, Tet Woo, Christie, David L. and Birch, Nigel P. (2015). Tissue plasminogen activator inhibits NMDA-receptor-mediated increases in calcium levels in cultured hippocampal neurons. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 9 (OCT) 404, 404. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00404
2015
Journal Article
Discovery by proteogenomics and characterization of an RF-amide neuropeptide from cone snail venom
Robinson, Samuel D., Safavi-Hemami, Helena, Raghuraman, Shrinivasan, Imperial, Julita S., Papenfuss, Anthony T., Teichert, Russell W., Purcell, Anthony W., Olivera, Baldomero M. and Norton, Raymond S. (2015). Discovery by proteogenomics and characterization of an RF-amide neuropeptide from cone snail venom. Journal of Proteomics, 114, 38-47. doi: 10.1016/j.jprot.2014.11.003
2014
Journal Article
Dicarba analogues of α-conotoxin RgIA. Structure, stability, and activity at potential pain targets
Chhabra, Sandeep, Belgi, Alessia, Bartels, Peter, van Lierop, Bianca J., Robinson, Samuel D., Kompella, Shiva N., Hung, Andrew, Callaghan, Brid P., Adams, David J., Robinson, Andrea J. and Norton, Raymond S. (2014). Dicarba analogues of α-conotoxin RgIA. Structure, stability, and activity at potential pain targets. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 57 (23), 9933-9944. doi: 10.1021/jm501126u
2014
Journal Article
Conotoxin gene superfamilies
Robinson, Samuel D. and Norton, Raymond S. (2014). Conotoxin gene superfamilies. Marine Drugs, 12 (12), 6058-6101. doi: 10.3390/md12126058
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Sam Robinson is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
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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:
- Discovery of novel pain-causing toxins
- Determine the mode of action of pain-causing toxins
- 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
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Doctor Philosophy
Identification and characterisation of new pain-causing toxins from animal venoms
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Irina Vetter, Dr Jennifer Deuis
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Doctor Philosophy
Evolutionary shifts in venom function and chemistry within Bees (Hymenoptera: Apiformes)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Irina Vetter, Dr Andrew Walker
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Doctor Philosophy
New Toxin Tools for Dissecting Pain
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Irina Vetter, Dr Thomas Durek
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Doctor Philosophy
Evaluation of Phylogenetic Patterns of Scorpion Pathophysiological Effects and Effectiveness of Next-Generation Antivenoms
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Glenn King, Professor Bryan Fry
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Sam Robinson directly for media enquiries about:
- ants
- bees
- cone snails
- stings
- toxins
- venom
- wasps
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