
Overview
Availability
- Dr Sam Robinson is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
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.
Works
Search Professor Sam Robinson’s works on UQ eSpace
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
2014
Journal Article
Diversity of conotoxin gene superfamilies in the venomous snail, Conus victoriae
Robinson, Samuel D., Safavi-Hemami, Helena, McIntosh, Lachlan D., Purcell, Anthony W., Norton, Raymond S. and Papenfuss, Anthony T. (2014). Diversity of conotoxin gene superfamilies in the venomous snail, Conus victoriae. PLoS One, 9 (2) e87648, e87648. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087648
2014
Journal Article
Interactions of disulfide-deficient selenocysteine analogs of μ-conotoxin BuIIIB with the α-subunit of the voltage-gated sodium channel subtype 1.3
Green, Brad R., Zhang, Min-Min, Chhabra, Sandeep, Robinson, Samuel D., Wilson, Michael J., Redding, Addison, Olivera, Baldomero M., Yoshikami, Doju, Bulaj, Grzegorz and Norton, Raymond S. (2014). Interactions of disulfide-deficient selenocysteine analogs of μ-conotoxin BuIIIB with the α-subunit of the voltage-gated sodium channel subtype 1.3. The FEBS Journal, 281 (13), 2885-2898. doi: 10.1111/febs.12835
2013
Journal Article
Dicarba α-conotoxin Vc1.1 analogues with differential selectivity for nicotinic acetylcholine and GABAB receptors
Van Lierop, Bianca J., Robinson, Samuel D., Kompella, Shiva N., Belgi, Alessia, McArthur, Jeffrey R., Hung, Andrew, Macraild, Christopher A., Adams, David J., Norton, Raymond S. and Robinson, Andrea J. (2013). Dicarba α-conotoxin Vc1.1 analogues with differential selectivity for nicotinic acetylcholine and GABAB receptors. ACS Chemical Biology, 8 (8), 1815-1821. doi: 10.1021/cb4002393
2011
Journal Article
Novel peptide antagonists of adrenomedullin and calcitonin gene-related peptide receptors: Identification, pharmacological characterization, and interactions with position 74 in receptor activity-modifying protein 1/3 (Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (2009) 331, (513-521))
Robinson, S. D., Aitken, J. F., Bailey, R. J., Poyner, D. R. and Hay, D. L. (2011). Novel peptide antagonists of adrenomedullin and calcitonin gene-related peptide receptors: Identification, pharmacological characterization, and interactions with position 74 in receptor activity-modifying protein 1/3 (Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (2009) 331, (513-521)). Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 339 (1).
2009
Journal Article
Novel peptide antagonists of adrenomedullin and calcitonin gene-related peptide receptors: Identification, pharmacological characterization, and interactions with position 74 in receptor activity-modifying protein 1/3
Robinson, Samuel D., Aitken, Jacqueline F., Bailey, Richard J., Poyner, David R. and Hay, Debbie L. (2009). Novel peptide antagonists of adrenomedullin and calcitonin gene-related peptide receptors: Identification, pharmacological characterization, and interactions with position 74 in receptor activity-modifying protein 1/3. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 331 (2), 513-521. doi: 10.1124/jpet.109.156448
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Sam Robinson is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Evolutionary shifts in venom function and chemistry within Bees (Hymenoptera: Apiformes)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Irina Vetter, Dr Andrew Walker
-
Doctor Philosophy
Characterization of novel family of voltage-gated sodium channel toxins from ant venoms
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Irina Vetter
-
Doctor Philosophy
New Toxin Tools for Dissecting Pain
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Irina Vetter, Dr Thomas Durek
-
Doctor Philosophy
Identification and characterisation of pain-causing toxins from Hymenoptera venoms
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Irina Vetter, Dr Jennifer Deuis
-
Doctor Philosophy
Evaluation of Phylogenetic Patterns of Scorpion Pathophysiological Effects and Effectiveness of Next-Generation Antivenoms
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bryan Fry
Media
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: