Rate My Professor Robert Callister

Emeritus Professor Robert Callister serves in the School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy at the University of Newcastle, within the Faculty of Health and Medicine. He holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Sydney, a Bachelor of Science (Honours 1) from the University of New South Wales, and a PhD in Zoology and Biomedical Sciences (neurobiology) from Ohio University, USA, in 1990. Following postdoctoral traineeships at the University of Arizona (1990-1992) and the University of Newcastle (1993-1997), he commenced an academic career at the University of Newcastle in 1997. Promoted to Professor of Anatomy in 2007, he has held positions as Head of Anatomy (1997-2002 and 2008-present) and Coordinator of the Faculty of Health Body Donor Program (1998-2002 and 2008-present). Prior to academia, he worked as a retail pharmacist from 1976 to 1983. Professor Callister teaches in programs including Medicine, Physiotherapy, Medical Radiation Science, and Biomedical Sciences, and oversees a state-of-the-art electrophysiology laboratory.

Professor Callister's research is classified as neurophysiology, with emphasis on nerve cell excitability and synaptic mechanisms in spinal cord and brainstem neurons. His interests include sensory systems such as nociception, touch, and balance, as well as synaptic processing of sensory signals in normal and pathological states like pain and balance disorders. He employs mouse models, including transgenic lines, to study ligand-gated ion channels, particularly glycine receptors and GABAA receptors. Notable publications include "Lateral lamina V projection neuron axon collaterals connect sensory processing across the dorsal horn of the mouse spinal cord" (2024, with Browne et al.), "Anatomical and functional studies of isolated vestibular neuroepithelia from Ménière’s Disease patients" (2024), "Defining a Spinal Microcircuit that Gates Myelinated Afferent Input: Implications for Tactile Allodynia" (2019), "Pain" chapter (2012), and "Early history of glycine receptor biology in mammalian spinal cord circuits" (2010). He received the Research Higher Degree Supervisor of the Year award in 2006 from the Faculty of Health. Professor Callister has supervised PhD and Masters students from 2000-2024 and served on committees such as the Animal Care and Ethics Committee (2005-2009).