Lisa Robinson

Senior Scientist
Cell Biology Program

Founder & Director
Manulife Kids Science Program

Founder & Director
Student Advancement Research (StAR) Program

U of T Positions

Vice-Dean, Strategy & Operations, Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Associate Dean, Inclusion and Diversity

Full Member, Institute of Medical Science

Professor, Department of Paediatrics

Dr. Lisa Robinson attended medical school at the University of Toronto, trained in Internal Medicine at Toronto General Hospital, and completed her residency in Paediatrics at the University of Western Ontario. She received her Paediatric Nephrology training at Duke University and during this time she pursued basic research training in the Departments of Immunology and Medicine, focused on exploring the mechanisms by which the immune system contributes to progressive kidney disease and to cardiovascular disease. Her research program integrates molecular biology, cell biology, advanced microscopic, and biochemical approaches with experimental models of inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and kidney injury. 

She is the founder and director of Kids Science, a SickKids Research Institute program which provides opportunities for middle- and high-school students to improve their understanding of science and technology, and to make positive educational and career choices. In 2014, she launched the Student Advancement Research (StAR) Program, a SickKids summer research program for high school students from under-represented communities.

As Associate Dean, Inclusion & Diversity, she provides leadership on matters of diversity and inclusion. She works collaboratively to build alliances, develop strategic partnerships, and engage internal and external partners to enhance and promote the diversity and inclusion of faculty, learners and staff across the Faculty of Medicine.

Research

Robinson’s research actively explores the mechanisms by which the immune system contributes to progressive kidney disease and to cardiovascular disease. Her research program integrates molecular biology, cell biology, advanced microscopic, and biochemical approaches with experimental models of inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and kidney injury. 

Robinson’s collaborative research program also explores new methods to optimize preservation of donor kidneys prior to transplantation.

As a clinician-scientist and paediatric nephrologist, Robinson’s ultimate goal is to use the new knowledge generated from her research to transform the care that children with kidney disease receive. Understanding the pathogenesis and complex biology that underlies inflammatory renal disease is critical for the design of innovative, rational therapies.

Education

• 1987–1991: MD, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 1991–1992: Intern in Internal Medicine, The Toronto Hospital, Toronto, Ontario
• 1992–1995: Resident in Paediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
• 1994–1995: Chief Resident in Paediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
• 1995–1999: Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
• 1996–1999: Research Fellowship Training, Pediatric Scientist Development Program, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina

Experience

Academic appointments

• 1999–2002: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
• 2002–2008: Assistant Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 2005–2010: Associate Member, Institute of Medical Science (IMS), School of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 2008–2014: Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 2010–Present: Full Member, Institute of Medical Science (IMS), School of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 2014–Present: Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 2016–2018: Chief Diversity Officer, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 2018–Present: Associate Dean, Inclusion & Diversity, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario

Hospital appointments

• 1999–2002: Staff Paediatric Nephrologist, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
• 2002–Present: Staff Nephrologist, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario
• 2010–Present: Head, Division of Nephrology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario

Research appointments

• 2002–2006: Scientist-track Investigator, Program in Infection, Immunity, Injury and Repair (IIIR), The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario
• 2004–2009: Canada Research Chair (CRC) Tier 2. Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat, Ottawa, Ontario
• 2006–2013: Scientist, Program in Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario
• 2010–2015: Canada Research Chair (CRC) Tier 2. Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat, Ottawa, Ontario (Renewal)
• 2013–Present: Senior Scientist, Program in Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario
• 2020–Present: Canada Research Chair (CRC) Tier 1 in Vascular Inflammation and Kidney Injury, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

Achievements

• 2000: Faculty Development Award, American Society of Transplantation (AST), Mount Laurel, New Jersey
• 2001: NIH Career Development Award (K08), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), Bethesda, Maryland
• 2002: Elected to the Society for Pediatric Research (SPR), The Woodlands, Texas
• 2006: Nominee, Canada's Top 40 Under 40, Toronto, Ontario
• 2010: 2010 Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA) Harry Jerome Health Sciences Award, Toronto, Ontario
• 2010: 2010 Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) Leader's Opportunity Fund, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• 2013: Elected to the American Pediatric Society (APS), The Woodlands, Texas
• 2013–2015: Fellow, Pediatric Leadership Development Program (PLDP), Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs (AMSPDC), McLean, Virginia
• 2013–2016: Elected to Council, Society for Pediatric Research (Nephrology), The Woodlands, Texas
• 2013–Present: Member, Editorial Board, American Journal of Physiology - Renal Physiology, Rockville, Maryland
• 2015: President’s Award – Winner in the Empowering People, Commitment to Compassion and Innovating to Drive Impact categories, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario
• 2015–2017: President, Canadian Association of Paediatric Nephrologists (CAPN)
• 2018: Honouree, 100 Accomplished Black Canadian (ABC) Women, Etobicoke, Ontario
• 2018: Fellow, American Society of Nephrology (FASN), Washington, DC
• 2018–Present: Member, Editorial Board, Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), Washington, DC 

1. Bhosle VK., Mukherjee T, Huang YW, Patel S, Pang BW, Liu GY, Glogauer M, Wu JY, Philpott D, Grinstein S, Robinson LA: Slit2/Robo1 signaling inhibits macropinocytosis by opposing cortical cytoskeletal remodelling. Nature Communications 2020. SRA (Accepted for Publication)
2. Alkandari O, Nguyen L, Hébert D, Langlois V, Jawa N, Parekh RS, Robinson LA: Acute Kidney Injury in Children with Kidney Transplantation. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 2018: 13(11): pp 1721-1729. SRA https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30242029/
3. Kaths JM, Hamar M, Echeverri J, Linares I, Urbanellis P, Cen JY, Ganesh S, Dingwell L, Yip P, John R, Bagli D, Mucsi I, Ghanekar A, Grant D, Robinson LA, Selzner M: Normothermic Ex Vivo Kidney Perfusion for Graft Quality Assessment Prior to Transplantation. American Journal of Transplantation 2018: 18(3): pp 580-589. Co-SRA
4. Wong HS, Jaumouillé V, Freeman SA, Doodnauth SA, Schlam D, Canton J, Mukovozov IM, Saric A, Grinstein S, Robinson LA: Chemokine signalling enhances CD36 responsiveness towards oxidized low-density lipoproteins and accelerates foam cell formation. Cell Reports 2016: 14(12): pp 2859-2871. SRA
5. Yuen DA, Huang YW, Liu GY, Patel S, Fang F, Zhou J, Thai K, Sidiqi A, Szeto SG, Chan L, Lu M, He X, John R, Gilbert RE, Scholey JW, Robinson LA: Recombinant N-Terminal Slit2 Inhibits TGF-β-Induced Fibroblast Activation and Renal Fibrosis. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 2016: 27(9): pp 2609-2615. SRA