Dr Nirmal Robinson
Senior Research Fellow: Cellular-Stress and Immune Response
Centre for Cancer Biology
College of Health
My research investigates how cellular stress responses and metabolic pathways intersect with innate immunity to influence cancer progression and therapy resistance. We focus on two major cancer types: glioblastoma (GBM) and myeloid malignancies. In GBM, we explore how stress-adaptive mechanisms and metabolic plasticity support tumour invasiveness and immune evasion, identifying novel therapeutic targets.
In myeloid malignancies, including those driven by clonal hematopoiesis, we examine how inflammatory pathways and nutrient-sensing mechanisms shape the function of innate immune cells, particularly macrophages. Through integrated molecular, cellular, and translational approaches, our goal is to uncover vulnerabilities that can be harnessed to improve patient outcomes.
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 - ongoing | Scientific Lead | University of Adelaide |
| 2018 - ongoing | Senior Research Fellow / Lab Head | Centre for Cancer Biology |
| 2011 - 2017 | Research Group Leader | Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging Associated Diseases |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Polara, R., van Rinsum, D., & Robinson, N. (2023). Autophagy in Cancer Metastasis. In K. Turksen (Ed.), Autophagy in Stem Cell Maintenance and Differentiation (Vol. 73, pp. 259-285). Springer International Publishing. DOI Scopus2 |
| 2022 | Chipurupalli, S., Kumari, S., Desiderio, V., & Robinson, N. (2022). Hypoxia-Induced Stress Responses in Cancer and Cancer Stem Cells. In Handbook of Oxidative Stress in Cancer: Mechanistic Aspects (Vol. 3, pp. 1829-1843). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. DOI |
| 2022 | Chipurupalli, S., Desiderio, V., & Robinson, N. (2022). Analysis of ER-Phagy in cancer drug resistance. In B. Baiocchi, & M. M (Eds.), Source details - Title: Cancer Drug Resistance (Vol. 2535, pp. 211-220). US: Humana Press. DOI Scopus4 Europe PMC3 |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Motalebzadeh, J., Anani, H., Thompson-Peach, C., Hickey, T., Butler, L., Robinson, N., & Thomas, D. (2026). Tryptophan metabolites drive ferroptosis resistance in triple-negative breast cancer cells. In CANCER RESEARCH Vol. 86 (pp. 1 page). CA, San Diego: AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH. DOI |
| 2025 | Nova, T. T., Robinson, N., & Thomas, D. (2025). Induction of cell differentiation alters therapeutic sensitization in IDH1 Mutant Cholangiocarcinoma: New Strategies for a Challenging Cancer. In ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY Vol. 21 (pp. 1 page). WILEY. |
| 2025 | Kamel, M., Kutyna, M., Robinson, N., Ross, D., Yeung, D., Yong, A., . . . Thomas, D. (2025). High dose ascorbate downregulates innate immune cytokines in the bone marrow of TET2 mutant chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. In BLOOD Vol. 146 (pp. 2065-2066). FL, Orlando: ELSEVIER. DOI |
| 2024 | Kamel, M. M., Robinson, N., Kutyna, M., Lim, K., Thompson-Peach, C., Lane, S. W., . . . Thomas, D. (2024). High Dose Ascorbate Reduces Interleukin-1 Beta Secretion in TET2 Mutant Monocytes and Demonstrates Excellent and in CMML Patients in Combination with Azacitidine. In BLOOD Vol. 144 (pp. 1817-1818). ELSEVIER. DOI WoS2 |
| 2016 | Fischer, J., Cassens, J., Gutierrez, S., Venkatesh, R., Daglidu, E., Hos, N., . . . Robinson, N. (2016). Leptin-receptor signaling regulates Salmonella Typhimurium induced inflammatory responses. In INTERNIST Vol. 57 (pp. S34-S35). SPRINGER. |
| 2013 | Nowag, A., Fischer, J., Mauer, J., Odenthal, M., Winter, S., Robinson, N., . . . Hartmann, P. (2013). Role of Insulin Signal Transduction and Metabolic Alterations in the Innate Immune Response against Mycobacterial Infections. In INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY Vol. 303 (pp. 81-82). GERMANY, Univ Rostock, Rostock: ELSEVIER GMBH, URBAN & FISCHER VERLAG. |
| 2013 | Fischer, J., Nowag, A., Venkatesh, R., Gutierrez, S., Bruening, J. C., Hartmann, P., & Robinson, N. (2013). Insulin and leptin signaling play essential roles in macrophage defense against <i>Salmonella</i> Typhinnurium. In INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY Vol. 303 (pp. 67). GERMANY, Univ Rostock, Rostock: ELSEVIER GMBH, URBAN & FISCHER VERLAG. |
| 2012 | Willmes, R., Wolke, M., Robinson, N., & Plum, G. (2012). A phenolic glycolipid from virulent mycobacteria suppresses the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines through downregulation of innate immune system pathways. In INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY Vol. 302 (pp. 46). GERMANY, Hamburg: ELSEVIER GMBH, URBAN & FISCHER VERLAG. |
| 2012 | Sad, S., Robinson, N., Mccomb, S., & Krishnan, L. (2012). Type I interferon induces necroptosis in macrophages during Salmonella Typhimurium infection. In JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY Vol. 188 (pp. 1 page). MA, Boston: AMER ASSOC IMMUNOLOGISTS. |
| 2007 | Robinson, N., Stephen, T. L., Meemboor, S., Kalka-Moll, W., & Plum, G. (2007). Adenoviral Rab-GFP fusion protein by phagosomal and endosomal trafficking studies in primary antigen presenting cells. In INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY Vol. 297 (pp. 79-80). GERMANY, Gottingen: ELSEVIER GMBH, URBAN & FISCHER VERLAG. |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Calabrese, C., Nolte, H., Pitman, M., Ganesan, R., Lampe, P., Laboy, R., . . . Robinson, N. (2023). Mitochondrial translocation of TFEB regulates complex I and inflammation. DOI |
| 2021 | GutiƩrrez, S., Fischer, J., Ganesan, R., Cildir, G., Wolke, M., Pessia, A., . . . Robinson, N. (2021). <i>S</i> . Typhimurium impairs glycolysis-mediated acidification of phagosomes to evade macrophage defense. DOI |
| 2021 | Chipurupalli, S., Ganesan, R., Martini, G., Mele, L., Kannan, E., Namasivayam, V., . . . Robinson, N. (2021). Cancer cells adapt FAM134B-BiP complex mediated ER-phagy to survive hypoxic stress. DOI |
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Co-Supervisor | Discovery of novel metabolic targets against lDH1-mutant intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Mrs Tasnova Tasnim Nova |
| 2025 | Principal Supervisor | Redox modulation and DNA damage responses induced by Plasma-Activated Media in human lymphoid cells | - | Doctorate | Full Time | Ms Hiu Ying Esther Yip |
| 2025 | Principal Supervisor | Understanding and targeting metabolic vulnerabilities to treat glioblastoma | - | Doctorate | Full Time | Ms Saumya Bansal |
| 2025 | Co-Supervisor | Target tumour cell invasion for the development of new therapies for glioblastoma | - | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Aijia Meng |
| 2025 | Co-Supervisor | Discovery of novel metabolic targets against lDH1-mutant intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma | - | Doctorate | Full Time | Mrs Tasnova Tasnim Nova |
| 2025 | Principal Supervisor | Redox modulation and DNA damage responses induced by Plasma-Activated Media in human lymphoid cells | - | Doctorate | Full Time | Ms Hiu Ying Esther Yip |
| 2024 | Co-Supervisor | A humanized monocyte model of TET2 mutated clonal hematopoiesis for noel target discovery | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Maha Kamel |
| 2024 | Co-Supervisor | Determining the role of pY374PKCd mediated chemoresistance in triple negative breast cancer | - | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Emily Phipps |
| 2024 | Co-Supervisor | A humanized monocyte model of TET2 mutated clonal hematopoiesis for noel target discovery | - | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Maha Kamel |
| 2024 | Co-Supervisor | Development of new treatments for glioblastoma | - | Doctorate | Full Time | Ms Shervindokht Farhangfar |
| 2023 | Co-Supervisor | Peroxisome Biology in IDH1 Mutated Cancer Cells and Its potential for Target Therapy | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Ms Mahta Moraghebi |
| 2023 | Co-Supervisor | 109455 - Examining the impact of environmental stressors and mutant microenvironment on disease development in models of inherited predisposition to haematological malignancies | - | Doctorate | Full Time | Mr An Thanh Dung Nguyen |
| 2023 | Co-Supervisor | Peroxisome Biology in IDH1 Mutated Cancer Cells and Its potential for Target Therapy | - | Doctorate | Full Time | Ms Mahta Moraghebi |