• Ph.D. (Biology) 1957, Harvard University
• S.B. (Biology) 1952, Tufts University

Dr. Hill conducts research in collaboration with colleagues at URI, research institutions and marine biological stations. A common theme is to approach physiological processes vital in the life of an animal at several levels. For instance, he has been studying control of isolated gastropod buccal muscles at the tissue level, where he is best able to investigate the role of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and circulating peptides in control of contractility and rhythmicity. His laboratory also conducts research on isolated cells and on single cells in situ.

Another line of investigation is the study of cardiac muscle as a tissue alongside study of isolated entire working gastropod or bivalve hearts, with valve action preserved. Cellular control mechanisms are studied with intact cardiac muscle in the sucrose gap or with innervated myocardial cells by microelectrode methods. However, the responses of the heart to physiological demands of the whole organism are best studied with the whole heart model.

In studies with gastropod heart or buccal muscle emphasis has been placed on control by neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, or circulating peptides. However, a continuing concern has been control by mechanical stretch and with muscle mechanics. This has been the main theme in Dr. Hill's research with holothurian longitudinal muscle where electron microscope studies show that the cells are extensively interconnected by fused plasma membranes. This has been a classical tissue for ergometer studies of active state and muscle mechanics, but a great deal more remains to be learned by the application of modern computer controlled ergometer methods. Dr. Hill is conducting parallel studies on viscosity changes in the holothurian body wall.

In collaborative work with Dr. Ying Sun of Electrical and Computer Engineering, single cells are used as a substratum for testing new electronic devices. Results are reported at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. Each academic year Y. Sun and R.B. Hill offer a "Sunday Lab Course" (BIO 593,594) for graduate students and advanced undergraduates. The students report the results at the annual Northeast Biomedical Engineering Conference.

For anyone interested in more information please go to: http://www.ele.uri.edu/pmc or download http://www.uri.edu/cels/bio/hill/AMS_UClamp_Final.pdf

• Hill, R.B., and H. Huddart. 1995. Actions of GTP on molluscan buccal, cardiac, and visceral smooth muscle. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 111C: 389-396.


• Hill, R.B. 1996. Cardioactive substances regulating the myogenic heart of Mollusca. Japanese Journal of Electrocardiology 16 (Supplement 1): 76-83.


• Huddart, H., and R.B. Hill. 1996. Modulatory mechanisms in the isolated internally perfused ventricle of the whelk Busycon canaliculatum. Gen. Pharmac. 27: 809-818.


• Hill. R.B. 1997. Neurohumoral control of ionic pumping in molluscan muscle. III. Cholinergic control of the response to low potassium levels. Gen. Pharmac. 29: 61-65.


• Kuwasawa, K., and R.B. Hill. 1997. Evidence for cholinergic inhibitory and serotonergic excitatory neuromuscular transmission in the heart of thebivalve Mercenaria mercenaria. J. Exper. Biol. 200: 2123-2135.


• Hill, R.B. 2001. Role of Ca2+ in excitation-contraction coupling in echinoderm muscle: comparison with role in other tissues. J. Exper. Biol. 204: 897-900.


• Moulis, A., H..Huddart and R.B. Hill 2003 Comparative potency of some extended peptide chain members of the RFamide family, assessed on the hearts of Busycon canalicuatum and Buccinum undatum. J. Comp. Physiol. B, 173:637-642.


• Hill, R.B. 2004 Activev state in echinoderm muscle. Echinoderms: Munchen-Heinzeller & Nebelsick, eds.


• Collis, L.P., Y. Sun and R.B. Hill. 2006 Length-dependent deactivation of ventricular trabeculae in the bivalve, Spisula solidisssima. J. Comp. Physiol.B, 176:371-385.


• Hill, R.B., K. Kuwasawa and Y. Sun. 2007 Molluscan models for cardiac physiology. World Congress of Malacology: 97-98.


• Fort, T.J. and R.B. Hill. Antagonistic actions of FMRFamide-like peptides used for pharmacological analysis of the innervation of proboscis muscles of Busycon canaliculatum. Under revision.


• Wu, J., Y. Sun, L.P. Collis and R.B. Hill. Feasibility of a Digital Signal Processor. Under revision.