Home / Research Supervisor Connect / Supervisor details

About Professor Bruce G. Robinson

Finding out why tumours occur in endocrine glands will help us determine better treatments and identify those patients who need aggressive treatment. The links between genetic presdisposition and the environmental factors which contribute to triggering these tumours is also a critical research topic.

Professor Bruce Robinson is Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and also the Head of Cancer Genetics, Kolling Institute of Medical Research at Royal North Shore Hospital.

Professor Robinson established the Cancer Genetics laboratory almost 20 years ago with the goal of investigating the molecular changes associate with endocrine disease. Since then he has made significant contributions to research in the genetics of thyroid, adrenal and parathyroid in addition to colon and brain cancers. His major significant achievements over the past 10 years have been on the role of the RET proto-oncogene in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2), work on adrenal cancers and studies to develop targeted gene therapy for medullary thyroid carcinoma. In 1992 he established the Endocrine Tumour Bank, a significant resource for genetic studies and providing a valuable contribution to 26 publications and 20 PhD projects.  Professor Robinson has many active collaborations, including local, national and international, for example resulting in the coordination of the International SDH Consortium, a study a 62 families with Phaeochromocytoma/Paraganglioma syndromes.   He is on the editorial board of Thyroid, Nature Clinical Practice/Endocrinology and Diabetes and an ad hoc reviewer for the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Endocrinology, Clinical Endocrinology, Journal of Medical Genetics and Australian and New Zealand Journals of Medicine and Surgery. Professor Robinson is also the founding Chairman of Hoc Mai, the Australian Vietnam Medical Foundation, University of Sydney and is coordinating medical and scientific educational exchange between these 2 countries.    

Selected publications

  • Soon PS, Libe R, Benn DE, Gill A, Shaw J, Sywak MS, Groussin L, Bertagna X, Gicquel C, Bertherat J, McDonald KL, Sidhu SB, Robinson BG.  Loss of heterozygosity of 17p13, with possible involvement of ACADVL and ALOX15B, in the pathogenesis of adrenocortical tumors.  Ann Surg. 2008 Jan;247(1):157-64.
  • McDonald KL, O’Sullivan MG, Parkinson JF, Shaw JM, Payne CA, Brewer JM, Young L, Reader DJ, Wheeler HT, Cook RJ, Biggs MT, Little NS, Teo C, Stone G, Robinson BG. IQGAP1 and IGFBP2: Valuable biomarkers for determining prognosis in glioma patients. J Neuropath Exp Neurol 2007,66:405-17
  • Benn DE, Gimenez-Roqueplo A-P, Reilly JR, Bertherat J, Burgess J, Byth K, Croxson M, Dahia PLM, Elston M, Gimm O, Henley D, Herman P, Murday V, Niccoli-Sire P, Paseika JL, Rohmer V, Tucker K, Juenemaitre X, Marsh DJ, Plouin P-F, Robinson BG. Clinical presentation and penetrance of Pheochromocytoma /Paraganglioma syndromes.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab  2006,91: 827-836.
  • Cheung L, Messina M, Gill A, Clarkson A Learoyd D, Delbridge L. Wentworth J, Phillips J, Clifton-Bligh R and Robinson BG. Detection of the PAX8-PPAR gamma fusion oncogene in both follicular thyroid carcinomas and adenomas. J Clin Endocrinol Metab  2003,88: 354-7
  • Messina M, Yu DMT, Both GW, Molloy PL and Robinson BG. Calcitonin-specific transcription and splicing targets gene directed pro-drug therapy to Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma cells. J Clin Endocrinol & Metab 2003, 88: 1310-8.
  • Eng C, Clayton D, Schuffenecker I, Lenoir G, Cote G, Gagel RF, van Amstel HK, Lips CJ, Nishisho I, Takai SI, Marsh DJ, Robinson BG, Frank-Raue K, Raue F, Xue F, Noll WW, Romei C, Pacini F, Fink M, Niederle B, Zedenius J, Nordenskjöld M, Komminoth P, Hendy GN, Mulligan LM, et al.  The relationship between specific RET proto-oncogene mutations and disease phenotype in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2. .JAMA. 1996 Nov 20;276(19):1575-9.
  • Hool L, Gray DF, Rasmussen HH, and Robinson B. 1996.  Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors regulate the Na+ -K+ pump via effects on angiotensin metabolism.  Am. J. of Physiol. 271:C172-C180.
  • Mulligan LM, Marsh DJ, Robinson BG, Schuffenecker I, Zedenius J, Lips CJ, Gagel RF, Takai SI, Noll WW, Fink M, et al.  Genotype-phenotype correlation in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2: report of the International RET Mutation Consortium.  J Intern Med. 1995 Oct;238(4):343-6
  • Robinson BG, Emanual RL, Frim DM and Majzoub JA.  1988  Glucocorticoid stimulates expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone gene in human placenta.  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.  85:  5244-5248
  • Robinson BG, Schwartz WJ and Majzoub JA. 1988  Vasopressin mRNA in the suprachiasmatic nuclei:  daily regulation of polyadenylate tail length.  Science 241:  (4863) 342-344