David Adams

David J. Adams is a Senior Professor in Neurophysiology at the University of Wollongong (UOW), affiliated with the School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences and the Molecular Horizons research group. He holds dual roles as Distinguished Professor (2019–2024) and former CEO of the Illawarra Health & Medical Research Institute (IHMRI). His career includes prior leadership positions at RMIT University (Health Innovations Research Institute Director) and the University of Queensland (Head of Physiology & Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences School). Prof Adams is an internationally recognized membrane physiologist with over 40 years of expertise in ion channel electrophysiology, particularly focusing on conotoxins from cone snails as pharmacological tools.

Research Interests:

• Ion channel function and modulation
• Conotoxin-based drug discovery targeting pain pathways
• Electrophysiological techniques including high-throughput patch clamp systems
• Neuropharmacology of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

Awards & Fellowships:

• Fellow of Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (2020)
• Fellow of American Physiological Society (2020)
• Elected Fellow of International Union of Physiological Sciences Academy (2023)

Grants & Funding:

• ARC Discovery Project: Touch and Tension (2024–2026)
• NHMRC Ideas Grant: BK channel pharmacology (2023–2026)
• MRFF Grant: Endometriosis pain validation (2023–2026)

Labs & Teams: Molecular Horizons at UOW, IHMRI, and collaborative venom research networks.