Sam Robinson

Dr. Sam Robinson is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Queensland's Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) and an Affiliate of the Centre for Innovation in Pain and Health Research (CIPHeR) within the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences. His research focuses on the discovery and characterization of novel toxins from venomous animals and plants, with applications in understanding pain mechanisms and developing new therapeutics.

• Doctor of Philosophy, Monash University

Dr. Robinson's research expertise spans multiple disciplines including pharmacology, neuroscience, physiology, organismal biology, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, proteomics, and structural biology. His work centers on plant and animal toxins, particularly those causing pain, with applications in understanding chemical defense mechanisms and developing treatments for chronic pain and diabetes. He investigates the structure, function, and pathophysiology of stings from various organisms including ants, wasps, scorpions, spiders, cone snails, and stinging plants.

His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on venom evolution, pain mechanisms, and toxin characterization, with particular emphasis on sodium channel modulation, venom composition across species, and the biomedical applications of natural toxins. His work frequently appears in high-impact journals including Nature Communications, Science, and PNAS.

Dr. Robinson has received significant research funding including an NHMRC Investigator Grant (2023-2027) for 'New Toxin Tools for Dissecting Pain', ARC Discovery Projects, and National Geographic Society grants. He actively supervises multiple PhD students working on venom evolution, pain-causing toxins, and sodium channel research. As a media expert, he is frequently consulted on topics related to ants, bees, cone snails, stings, toxins, venom, and wasps.