Robinson's initial research centered primarily on reactive oxygen species in neutrophils and cell lines, such as HL-60 cells.[4] His laboratory's research emphasis was on mitochondrial function[5][6] and the role of the reactive oxygen species.[7] In addition, he was engaged in the development of translational tools for improved cervical cancer diagnostics.[8] In recent years, his research interests focused on bioengineering, including development of single-cell analysis technologies such as high-speed hyperspectral cytometry,[9][10] optical tools for quantitative fluorescence measurement, and label-free organisms classification methods for general microbiology[11][12] and biodefense applications,[13] as well as high-content, high-throughput screening technologies[14][15]
Robinson is the co-inventor of multiple patents in the areas of single cell analysis[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] and technologies associated with fluorescence detection,[24][25] elastic light scatter,[26][16][27] bacteria detection,[28] and laser microanalysis.[29] Robinson was a member of the Purdue University engineering research team that developed spectral flow cytometry.[16][30] This technology has been licensed by Sony Biotechnology and became a basis for the first commercial multispectral flow cytometry system introduced in 2012.[31] In 2020 the spectral cytometry technology was licensed by Propel Labs (now ThermoFisher Scientific).[32] Robinson is also a co-inventor of automated microbial classification systems using elastic laser light scatter.[26][33] Another area of his work includes development of a new range of single photon detectors.[34]
Robinson, J. Paul, Leon H. Bruner, Carl-F. Bassoe, Jerry L. Hudson, Peter A. Ward, and Sem H. Phan. 1988. "Measurement of Intracellular Fluorescence of Human Monocytes Relative to Oxidative Metabolism." Journal of Leukocyte Biology 43 (4): 304–10. https://doi.org/10.1002/jlb.43.4.304.
Carter, W O, P K Narayanan, and J P Robinson. 1994. "Intracellular Hydrogen Peroxide and Superoxide Anion Detection in Endothelial Cells." Journal of Leukocyte Biology 55 (2): 253–58. https://doi.org/10.1002/jlb.55.2.253.
Roeder, Blayne A., Klod Kokini, Jennifer E. Sturgis, J. Paul Robinson, and Sherry L. Voytik-Harbin. 2002. "Tensile Mechanical Properties of Three-Dimensional Type I Collagen Extracellular Matrices with Varied Microstructure." Journal of Biomechanical Engineering 124 (2): 214–22. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1449904.
Li, Nianyu, Kathy Ragheb, Gretchen Lawler, Jennie Sturgis, Bartek Rajwa, J. Andres Melendez, and J. Paul Robinson. 2003. "Mitochondrial Complex I Inhibitor Rotenone Induces Apoptosis through Enhancing Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species Production." Journal of Biological Chemistry 278 (10): 8516–25. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M210432200.
Li, Nianyu, Kathy Ragheb, Gretchen Lawler, Jennie Sturgis, Bartek Rajwa, J. Andres Melendez, and J. Paul Robinson. 2003. "DPI Induces Mitochondrial Superoxide-Mediated Apoptosis." Free Radical Biology and Medicine 34 (4): 465–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0891-5849(02)01325-4.
Lu, Yiqing, Jiangbo Zhao, Run Zhang, Yujia Liu, Deming Liu, Ewa M. Goldys, Xusan Yang, et al. 2014. "Tunable Lifetime Multiplexing Using Luminescent Nanocrystals." Nature Photonics 8 (1): 32–36. https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2013.322.
Robinson is a past President of the International Society for Advancement of Cytometry. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Current Protocols in Cytometry[44] He has previously served as an Associate Editor of Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica and Cytometry Part A.
Robinson has established a not-for-profit charity, "Cytometry for Life" with the goal of providing low-cost CD4 screening technology to resource-poor areas, initially focusing on countries in Africa.[45][46] The foundation activities include development of appropriate low-cost CD4 screening technology and the efforts in education and training in the field of cytometry, partnering with Africa International Biotechnology and Biomedical Conference (AIBBC).
^"Purdue Creates New Low-cost System To Detect Bacteria". Science Daily. July 27, 2006. Retrieved Sep 30, 2022. Researchers at Purdue University have developed a new low-cost system that analyzes scattered laser light to quickly identify bacteria for applications in medicine, food processing and homeland security at one-tenth the cost of conventional technologies.
^ abcUS 7280204, Robinson, Joseph Paul; Rajwa, Bartlomiej & Grégori, Gérald et al., "Multi-spectral detector and analysis system", published 2007-10-09, assigned to Purdue Research Foundation
^US 9372143, Yamamoto, Masanobu & Robinson, J. Paul, "Scanning image flow cytometer", published 2016-06-21, assigned to CAPTL LLC
^US 10036698, Yamamoto, Masanobu & Robinson, J. Paul, "Time-sequential cytometry", published 2018-07-31, assigned to CAPTL LLC
^US 10060850, Yamamoto, Masanobu & Robinson, J. Paul, "Particle detection using reflective surface", published 2018-08-28, assigned to CAPTL LLC
^US 10613096, Yamamoto, Masanobu & Robinson, J. Paul, "Multi-spectral microparticle-fluorescence photon cytometry", published 2020-04-07, assigned to CAPTL LLC
^US 10900885, Yamamoto, Masanobu; Robinson, J. Paul & Masuda, Yuji et al., "Flow cytometry using hydrodynamically planar flow", published 2021-01-26, assigned to CAPTL LLC and Hamamatsu Photonics KK
^US 11187584, Yamamoto, Masanobu; Hernandez, Keegan & Robinson, J. Paul, "Photon counting and spectroscopy", published 2021-11-30, assigned to CAPTL LLC
^US 11255771, Yamamoto, Masanobu; Robinson, J. Paul & Hernandez, Keegan, "Photon signal processing for particle detection", published 2022-02-22, assigned to CAPTL LLC
^US 7842512, Blatchley, III, Ernest R.; Shen, Chengyue & Naunovic, Zorana et al., "Dyed microspheres for characterization of photochemical reactor behavior", published 2010-11-30, assigned to Purdue Research Foundation
^US 8831889, Rajwa, Bartlomiej P.; Bernas, Tytus S & Robinson, Joseph P., "Quantification of differences between measured values and statistical validation based on the differences", published 2014-09-09, assigned to Purdue Research Foundation
^ abUS 8787633, Robinson, J. Paul; Rajwa, Bartlomiej & Bayraktar, Bulent et al., "System and method of organism identification", published 2014-07-22, assigned to Purdue Research Foundation
^US 10719691, Robinson, Joseph Paul; Rajwa, Bartlomiej P. & Ragheb, Kathryn E. et al., "Culture imaging system", published 2020-07-21, assigned to Purdue Research Foundation
^US 7306924, Gomez, Rafael; Bashir, Rashid & Bhunia, Arun K. et al., "Biosensor and related method", published 2007-12-11, assigned to Purdue Research Foundation
^US 10514338, Robinson, Joseph Paul; Rajwa, Bartlomiej P. & Patsekin, Valery P. et al., "Metal-antibody tagging and plasma-based detection", published 2019-12-24, assigned to Purdue Research Foundation
^"AIMBE College of Fellows Class of 2004". Fellowbook. American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. Retrieved Sep 30, 2022. For contributions to cell and tissue engineering, complex imaging of physiological processes and innovations in medical diagnostic techniques.