University of Maryland, Baltimore · BiologyRobinson Phototransduction Lab
Phyllis R Robinson · Baltimore, Maryland
Research Focus
Dr. Phyllis R. Robinson's lab at the University of Maryland Baltimore County studies how light affects our physiology and behavior. They focus on a unique type of retinal cells called intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), which play an essential role in regulating our sleep patterns, mood, memory, and learning. The lab aims to uncover the complex ways these cells respond to light and how this signaling is influenced by dopamine, a vital neurochemical in our brain.
melanopsinretinal ganglion cellscircadian rhythmsdopaminelight responsephototransductionmemorybehaviorsleep
Research Aims
4AIM 01Identify how dopamine affects melanopsin phosphorylation in ipRGCs.
AIM 02Investigate the role of M1 and M4 ipRGCs in light-dependent behaviors.
AIM 03Determine the physiological impacts of ipRGC signaling on sleep and mood.
AIM 04Explore the diversity of melanopsin signaling pathways in different ipRGC subtypes.
Skills the Lab Values
cell culturemouse modelsknock-in techniqueselectrophysiologybehavioral assaysimmunohistochemistrymolecular cloningdata analysissignal transduction pathways
Output against the department
Publications93bottom 31% of dept.706th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations4.1kbottom 31% of dept.710th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.