Dr Wilson obtained his undergraduate degree in chemistry and biochemistry from the University of Melbourne, with Honours in physical chemisty. He then completed a PhD at The University of Queensland in 2001 on ‘The identification and characterisation of Australian funnel-web spider venom’. Upon completion of these studies he held a research position at Xenome Ltd, a start-up biopharmaceutical company. This work involved the identification of venom molecules from marine cone snails, spiders and scorpions with potential as therapeutics for the treatment of pain. One outcome from this work was the development of a small cone snail venom molecule to clinical trials for the treatment of acute postoperative pain and chronic pain (e.g. pain associated with cancer). He has since held positions as a postdoctoral researcher investigating the use of spider venom molecules as pesticides, and as a professional officer (administrative and laboratory support) at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland. In 2009 he completed a MBA at the Queensland University of Technology, concentrating on finance entrepreneurship. He has been awarded an ARC Linkage grant and a National Breast Cancer Foundation Novel Concept grant. In January 2012, he accepted a position to manage the Advanced Proteomics and NMR Facility at the Queensland Tropical Health Alliance, James Cook University. His research interests include exploring the potential of venom molecules, particularly spiders, as novel drug leads for the treatment of diseases such as cancer.

Interests

Research

• Identification and characterisation of novel Australian funnel-web spider venom components.
• The use of venom composition "fingerprints" as taxonomic tools.
• Behaviour and personality in Australian funnel-web spiders.
• Identification and characterisation of novel scorpion venom components.
• Venom regeneration and plasticity in scorpions.
• Identification and characterisation of novel venom components from cone snails.
• Peptide and protein folding and structure.
• Novel venom component identification and characterisation.

Experience

• 2012 to 2020 - Senior Laboratory and Technical Support Specialist, Jame Cook University (Cairns, QLD, Australia)
• 2009 to 2011 - Administrative Assistant (Research), University of Queensland (Brisbane, QLD, Australia)
• 2007 to 2009 - Senior Research Officer, University of Queensland (Brisbane, QLD, Australia)
• 2001 to 2009 - Research Officer/Manager and IT Manager, Xenome Ltd (Brisbane, QLD, Australia)

Research Disciplines

• Medical biochemistry and metabolomics (3205)
• Biochemistry and cell biology (3101)
• Zoology (3109)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Expanding knowledge (2801)

Awards

• 2020 - CMT Researcher Grant
• 2016 to 2017 - AITHM Capacity Building Grant.
• 2011 to 2013 - National Breast Cancer Foundation Novel Concept Grant.
• 2007 to 2010 - ARC Linkage Grant - New modulators of voltage-gated sodium channel subtypes from Australian Tarantula venoms.

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Hernandez Duran L, Wilson D, Salih M and Rymer T (2023) Interactions between physiology and behaviour provide insights into the ecological role of venom in Australian funnel-web spiders: Interspecies comparison. PLoS ONE, 18 (5).
• Hernandez Duran L, Wilson D and Rymer T (2022) Behaviour of the Sydney funnel-web spider Atrax robustus over different contexts, time, and stimuli. Toxicon: X, 13.
• Daly N and Wilson D (2021) Plant derived cyclic peptides. Biochemical Society Transactions, 49 (3). pp. 1279-1285
• Dongol Y, Choi P, Wilson D, Daly N, Cardoso F and Lewis R (2021) Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Modulation by a New Spider Toxin Ssp1a Isolated From an Australian Theraphosid. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12.
• Hernandez Duran L, Wilson D, Briffa M and Rymer T (2021) Beyond spider personality: the relationships between behavioral, physiological, and environmental factors. Ecology and Evolution, 11 (7). pp. 2974-2989
• Khudhair Z, Alhallaf R, Eichenberger R, Whan J, Kupz A, Field M, Krause L, Wilson D, Daly N, Giacomin P, Sotillo J and Loukas A (2021) Gastrointestinal helminth infection improves insulin sensitivity, decreases systemic inflammation, and alters the composition of gut microbiota in distinct mouse models of Type 2 diabetes. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 11.
• O'Hara E, Wilson D and Seymour J (2021) The influence of ecological factors on cnidarian venoms. Toxicon, 9-10.
• Saggiomo S, Firth C, Wilson D, Seymour J, Miles J and Wong Y (2021) The geographic distribution, venom components, pathology and treatments of stonefish (Synanceia spp.) venom. Marine Drugs, 19 (6).
• Evans E, McIntyre L, Northfield T, Daly N and Wilson D (2020) Small molecules in the venom of the scorpion Hormurus waigiensis. Biomedicines, 8 (8).
• Giribaldi J, Haufe Y, Evans E, Amar M, Durner A, Schmidt C, Faucherre A, Moha Ou Maati H, Enjalbal C, Molgó J, Servent D, Wilson D, Daly N and Nicke A (2020) Backbone cyclization turns a venom peptide into a stable and equipotent ligand at both muscle and neuronal nicotinic receptors. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 63 (21). pp. 12682-12692
• Giribaldi J, Ragnarsson L, Pujante T, Enjalbal C, Wilson D, Daly N, Lewis R and Dutertre S (2020) Synthesis, pharmacological and structural characterization of novel conopressins from Conus miliaris. Marine Drugs, 18 (3).
• Hernández Duran L, Rymer T and Wilson D (2020) Variation in venom composition in the Australian funnel-web spiders Hadronyche valida. Toxicon: X, 8.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• Structure and Function of Novel Peptides from Cone Snail Venom (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Development of Anti-Inflammatory Peptides (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Venomic Ecology in Cubozoans (Box Jellyfish) (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• The role of ?Daun Patah Tulang? (Euphorbia tirucalli) as a traditional remedy for healing (PhD , Secondary Advisor)

Completed

• Characterization of peptides derived from marine organisms (2022, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Venom chemistry and ecology of Australian scorpions (2022, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Characterization of marine venoms (2022, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Structure-function relationships of disulfide-rich peptides (2019, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Exploring low molecular weight molecules produced by hookworms (Ancylostoma caninum) and their use as anti-inflammatory agents (2018, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Characterisation of disulfide-rich peptides exploring potential wound healing properties (2022, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Development of peptides as potential drug leads for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (2018, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• From factors to contexts: analysing changes and interactions in behaviour, venom profiles and body state of Australian funnel-web spiders (2023, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Determination of Structure/Function Relationships of Bioactive Peptides (2023, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Photoluminescence in fur (2023, Masters , Secondary Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
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