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Headshot photo of Courtney J. Robinson
Faculty
Faculty

Courtney J. Robinson (she/her/hers)

Professor and Chair

courtney.robinson@Howard.edu
(202) 806-6953
https://www.courtneyjrobinsonlab.com/

Department/Office

  • Biology

School/College

  • College of Arts & Sciences

Education & Expertise

Education

Microbiology

B.S.
Xavier University of Louisiana
2000

Microbiology

Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
2008

Expertise

Microbial Ecology

Immune System-Microbiota Interactions

Environmental Micobiology

Polymicrobial Infections

Academics

Academics

General Microbiology (BIOL220)

Environmental Microbiology (BIOL424)

General Biology - PHAGES Laboratory (BIOL101/102)

Research

Research

Specialty

Microbial Ecology

Funding

NSF, Howard University Science Teacher Certification Program, 2014-2019 Co-PI 
NIH-NIDDK Research Supplement, 2008
University of Wisconsin Advanced Opportunity Fellowship, 2007
Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship, 2006
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Teaching Fellowship, 2006
American Society for Microbiology Student Travel Grant, 2005
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Teaching Fellowship, 2003 and 2004
NIH Biotechnology Training Fellowship, 2001
University of Wisconsin Medical School Dean's Prize, 2001

Group Information

Research:

Members of Dr. Courtney Robinson’s research group study the ecology of host-associated microbial communities. Model systems are necessary in order to learn about the complex interactions between hosts and their microbes, and between community members. Insects, like other animals, depend on their microbial communities for a number of functions related to host health.  Additionally, insects often contain relatively simple microbial communities.  The Robinson laboratory uses a number of insect models and techniques from molecular biology to study questions related to fundamental ecological concepts such as community response to invasion and perturbation, as well as the impact of diet and host development on the microbiota, host selection of microbial communities, and the role of microbiota structure in susceptibility to disease.

https://www.courtneyjrobinsonlab.com/research

Laboratory Members:

Ingrid Harris - Graduate Student
Leslie McKinnon - Graduate Student

Related Articles

Prophage-mediated defence against viral attack and viral counter-defence.

Dedrick R.M., D. Jacobs-Sera, C.A.G. Bustamante, R.A. Garlena, T.N. Mavrich, W.H. Pope, J.C.C. Reyes, D.A. Russell, T. Adair, R. Alvey, J.A. Bonilla, J.S. Bricker, B.R. Brown, D. Byrnes, S.G. Cresawn, W.B. Davis, L.A. Dickson, N.P. Edgington, A.M. Findley, U. Golebiewska, J.H. Grose, C.F. Hayes, L.E. Hughes, K.W. Hutchison, S. Isern, A.A. Johnson, M.A. Kenna, K.K. Klyczek, C.M. Mageeney, S.F. Michael, S.D. Molloy, M.T. Montgomery, J. Neitzel, S.T. Page, M.C. Pizzorno, M.K. Poxleitner, C.A. Rinehart, C.J. Robinson, M.R. Rubin, J.N. Teyim, E. Vazquez, V.C. Ware, J. Washington and G.F. Hatfull. 2017. Prophage-mediated defence against viral attack and viral counter-defence. Nat Microbiol 2:16251 http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmicrobiol.2016.251 

Genome Sequence of Mycobacteriophage Ernie J. Genome Announcements.

Robinson, C.J., L. Y. London-Thomas, L.A. Dickson, T. A. Clinton, H. Baig, M. Bute, M. Fahad, K. Farrakhan, N. Grady, N. E. Guthrie, R. Hafid, J. Harvey, K. Hunnicutt, V. L. Larsen, T. McDuffie, E. N. McGee, J. Y. Pailin, A. Thomas and W. A. Anderson. 2016. Genome Sequence of Mycobacteriophage Ernie J. Genome Announcements. 4: e00873-16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/genomeA.00873-16

Impact of the glucosinolate sinigrin on bacterial communities in Pieris rapae.

L. M. McKinnon and C. J. Robinson. 2016. Impact of the glucosinolate sinigrin on bacterial communities in Pieris rapae. Advances in Microbiology. 6:566-573. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/aim.2016.68057 

Whole genome comparison of a large collection of mycobacteriophages reveals a continuum of phage genetic diversity

Pope, W. H., C. A. Bowman, D. A. Russell, D. Jacobs-Sera, D. J. Asai, S. G. Cresawn, W. R. Jacobs, Jr., R. W. Hendrix, J. G. Lawrence, G. F. Hatfull, Science Education Alliance Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science, Phage Hunters Integrating Research and Education, Mycobacterial Genetic Course. 2015. Whole genome comparison of a large collection of mycobacteriophages reveals a continuum of phage genetic diversity. eLife. 4:e06416. http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.06416

The effects of intestinal microbial community structure on disease manifestation in IL-10-/- mice infected with Helicobacter hepaticus.

Nagalingam, N. A., C. J. Robinson, I. L. Bergin, K. A. Eaton, G. B. Huffnagle and V. B. Young. 2013. The effects of intestinal microbial community structure on disease manifestation in IL-10-/- mice infected with Helicobacter hepaticus. Microbiome. 1:15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/2049-2618-1-15

Colon Cancer and IBD: Potential for a link to race and the microbiota?

Robinson, C.J., E. Lee, B. Eribo, H. Ashktorab and H. Brim. 2013. Colon Cancer and IBD: Potential for a link to race and the microbiota? Microbe Magazine. 8:243-248. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/microbe.8.243.1

From structure to function: the ecology of host-associated microbial communities

Robinson, C. J., B. J. M. Bohannan and V. B. Young. 2010. From structure to function: the ecology of host-associated microbial communities. Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews. 74:453-476. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/MMBR.00014-10

Antibiotic administration alters the community structure of the gastrointestinal microbiota.

Robinson, C. J. and V. B. Young. 2010. Antibiotic administration alters the community structure of the gastrointestinal microbiota. Gut Microbes. 1:279-284. http://dx.doi.org/10.4161/gmic.1.4.12614

Robustness of the bacterial community in the cabbage white butterfly larval midgut. Microbial Ecology

Robinson, C. J., P. D. Schloss, Y. Ramos, K. F. Raffa and J. Handelsman. 2010. Robustness of the bacterial community in the cabbage white butterfly larval midgut. Microbial Ecology. 59:199-211. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00248-009-9595-8

Introducing mothur: Open source, platform-independent, community-supported software for describing and comparing microbial communities

Schloss, P. D., S. L. Westcott, T. Ryabin, J. R. Hall, M. Hartman, E. Hollister, R. A. Lesniewski, B. B. Oakly, D. H. Parks, C. J. Robinson, J. W. Sahl, B. Stres, G. G. Thalinger D. J. Van Horn and C. F. Weber. 2009. Introducing mothur: Open source, platform-independent, community-supported software for describing and comparing microbial communities. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 75:7537-754.1 http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/aem.01541-09

Contributions of gut bacteria to Bacillus thuringiensis-induced mortality vary across a range of Lepidoptera

Broderick, N. A., C. J. Robinson, M. D. McMahon, J. F. Holt, J. Handelsman and K. F. Raffa. 2009. Contributions of gut bacteria to Bacillus thuringiensis-induced mortality vary across a range of Lepidoptera. BMC Biology. 7:11-19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1741-7007-7-11

Quorum-sensing signals in the microbial community of the cabbage white butterfly larval midgut.

Borlee, B. R., G. D. Geske, C. J. Robinson, H. E. Blackwell and J. Handelsman. 2008. Quorum-sensing signals in the microbial community of the cabbage white butterfly larval midgut. ISME Journal. 2:1101-1111. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2008.70

Rules of engagement: Interspecies interactions that regulate microbial communities.

Little, A., C. J. Robinson, S.B. Peterson, K. F. Raffa and J. Handelsman. 2008. Rules of engagement: Interspecies interactions that regulate microbial communities. Annual Review of Microbiology. 62:375-401. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.micro.030608.101423

Influence of Cooperative Bacteria on Animal Host Biology

Handelsman, J., C. J. Robinson, and K. Raffa. 2005. Microbial communities in lepidopteran guts: From models to metagenomics, p. 143 -168. In M. J. McFall-Ngai, B. Henderson and E. G. Ruby (ed.), Influence of Cooperative Bacteria on Animal Host Biology. Cambridge Univ Press, New York.