Dr. Phyllis R Robinson

About

I obtained a BA from Wellesley College and a Ph.D from University of WI-Madison. I was a post doctoral fellow at Brandeis University and joined the faculty at UMBC in 1992. In addition to my research program, I am known for my efforts to increase the participation of women and minorities in science at UMBC. She co-founded the Women in Science and Engineering group at UMBC and was a Co-PI on the UMBC NSF ADVANCE grant and currently co-chairs the University executive committee on Gender and Diversity in Science, technology, engineering and math. I am also the Director of the U-RISE NIH training program.

Research interests

The aim of my research is to understand how information in the environment is transformed into an appropriate biological signal. I study this problem of signal transduction in photoreceptors for they are accessible to a variety of techniques, providing a system in which it is possible to interface the approaches of biochemistry, molecular biology and physiology. My research has resulted in 50 peer-reviewed publications and several book chapters.13PhD students have graduated from my laboratory with 3 current PhD students. I have mentored over 50 undergraduates.

Teaching interests

I am interested in Vision Science, Signal Transduction and Neurobiology.

Education

  • Ph D, Neuroscience — University of Wisconsin-Madison (1981)
  • AB, Biology — Wellesley College (1973)

Publications

Presentations

  • Structural and Molecular Analysis of Signaling Activation and Desensitization in Melanopsin, an Opsin G-Protein Coupled Receptor 2018 18th International Conference on Retinal Proteins · International Conference on Retinal Proteins · Poster Phyllis R Robinson (Author), Juan Valdez
  • Structural and Molecular Analysis of Signaling Activation and Desensitization in Melanopsin, an Opsin G-Protein Coupled Receptor 2018 18th International Conference on Retinal Proteins · International Conference on Retinal Proteins · Paper Phyllis R Robinson (Author), Juan Valdex (Author & Presenter)
  • MARC at UMBC 2018 American Chemical Society Annual meeting · American Chemical Society · Oral Presentation Phyllis R Robinson (Author & Presenter), J. King (Author)
  • A comparison of genetic editing techniques to create mutations in the mouse melanopsin sequence. 2018 Retinal Neurobiology and Visual Processing · FASEB · Poster Phyllis R Robinson, Alexis Rubin (Author & Presenter)
  • Unique Structural and Molecular Determinants that Contribute to Melanopsin (Opn4) Phototransduction 2018 Retinal Neurobiology and Visual Processing · FASEB · Poster Phyllis R Robinson, Juan Valdez, Veronika Szalai, Stephen Petr
  • Phyllis Non-image forming vision in Cetaceans: What is melanopsin doing in the Aquatic mammal eye? 2017 Marine Mammal Sensory Systems: an Integrated Perspective · Society for Marine Mammalogy Biennial Conference on Marine Mammal Biology Post-COnference Workshop · Lecture
  • , Cetacean sunglasses? Deactivation kinetics of melanopsin in cetacean rod monochromats, 2017 Biennial Conference on Marine Mammal Biology · The Society for Marine Mammalogy · Poster Phyllis R Robinson, Haya Algrain (Author & Presenter)
  • :”Seeing the Future: Vision careers in industry, government and academia” 2017 The Biology and Chemistry of Vision · FASEB · Oral Presentation
  • C-terminal phosphorylation regulates the kinetics of a subset of melanopsin-mediated behaviors in mice 2017 The Biology and Chemistry of Vision · FASEB · Oral Presentation Phyllis R Robinson (Author), Preethi Somasundaram (Author & Presenter)
  • The Adaptation of Melanopsin Signaling Kinetics in Rod Monochromats, 2017 The Biology and Chemistry of Vision · FASEB · Poster Phyllis R Robinson (Author), Haya Algrain (Author & Presenter), Jeffrey Fasick (Author)
  • C-terminal phosphorylation regulates the kinetics of a subset of melanopsin-mediated behaviors in miceAssociation for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology 2017 ARVO · Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology · Poster Phyllis R Robinson (Author), Preethi Samasundraram (Author & Presenter)
  • C-terminal phosphorylation plays a crucial role the kinetics of non-image forming visual behaviors i 2016 Society for Neuroscience · Society for Neuroscience · Poster P Somasundaram (Author & Presenter), D C Fernandez (Author), A Rupp (Author), T C Baeda (Author), R L Brown, S Hattar (Author), Phyllis R Robinson (Author)
  • Shedding New Light on Opsin Evolution, 2012 International Society for Eye Research · International Society for Eye Research · Oral Presentation Phyllis R Robinson (Author & Presenter), Megan Porter (Author)

Grants and Contracts

  • U-RISE at the University of Maryland Baltimore County 2020 NIH · Grant · Funded
  • The functional contribution of melanopsin phototransduction in ipRGC subtypes 2017 NIH · Grant · Funded Phyllis R Robinson (Co-Principal), S Hattar, R L Brown
  • Learning and Innovation at the Interface of Mathematics and Medicine: A NEW Approach 2015 Hrabowski Innovation Fund · Grant Bradford E Peercy, Kathleen Hoffman (Co-Principal), Phyllis R Robinson (Supporting)
  • FASEB's The Biology and Chemistry of Vision Conference NIH · Grant · In-Progress
  • Highly Sensitive Planar Anapole Microsonators for Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of submicroliter /submicromolar sample NIH · Sponsored Research · Funded

Courses Taught

  • Ethics/Integ Scient Res BIOL 397 · Spring 2020
  • Neurobiology BIOL 651 · Fall 2019
  • Neurobiology BIOL 451 · Fall 2019
  • Vision Science BIOL 654 · Spring 2019
  • Vision Science BIOL 454 · Spring 2019
  • Signal Transdxn BIOL 645 · Fall 2018
  • Signal Transduction BIOL 445 · Fall 2018