Biography
Dr. Louise Collins is a Lecturer and Academic Programme Co-ordinator for the B.Sc. Medical and Health Sciences programme at University College Cork (UCC) in Ireland.
Dr. Collins graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons) in Neuroscience, an M.Sc. in Neuropharmacology and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from University College Cork. She was a visiting researcher at Cardiff University in the UK during this time. This was followed by postdoctoral fellowships in molecular neuroscience at UCC focused on drug development for neuroprotection in Parkinson’s disease, and in molecular and cellular biology at the University of Limerick. After this, she was a technical specialist followed by a global regulatory affairs specialist in CMC biologics in late stage drug commercialisation and FDA approvals. Louise joined Munster Technological University as a Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology before being appointed as Lecturer and academic programme co-ordinator for the B.Sc. in Medical and Health Sciences programme in UCC. Her work has been featured in journals such as Molecular Neurobiology, Brain, and Parkinsonism and Related Disorders.
Research Interests
Dr. Collins' current research interests are focused on the repurposing of FDA-approved drugs towards the development of new therapies for Parkinson’s disease.
Dr. Collins graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons) in Neuroscience, an M.Sc. in Neuropharmacology and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from University College Cork. She was a visiting researcher at Cardiff University in the UK during this time. This was followed by postdoctoral fellowships in molecular neuroscience at UCC focused on drug development for neuroprotection in Parkinson’s disease, and in molecular and cellular biology at the University of Limerick. After this, she was a technical specialist followed by a global regulatory affairs specialist in CMC biologics in late stage drug commercialisation and FDA approvals. Louise joined Munster Technological University as a Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology before being appointed as Lecturer and academic programme co-ordinator for the B.Sc. in Medical and Health Sciences programme in UCC. Her work has been featured in journals such as Molecular Neurobiology, Brain, and Parkinsonism and Related Disorders.
Research Interests
Dr. Collins' current research interests are focused on the repurposing of FDA-approved drugs towards the development of new therapies for Parkinson’s disease.
Publications
Book Chapters
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2012) | 'Inflammation in Parkinson's disease: causes and consequences' Collins L.M., Toulouse A., Nolan Y.M. (2012) 'Inflammation in Parkinson's disease: causes and consequences' In: Mechanisms in Parkinson's Disease - Models and Treatments. Croatia: InTech. [Full Text] [Details] |
Peer Reviewed Journals
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2022) | 'Gene Co-expression Analysis of the Human Substantia Nigra Identifies ZNHIT1 as an SNCA Co-expressed Gene that Protects Against a-Synuclein-Induced Impairments in Neurite Growth and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in SH-SY5Y Cells' McCarthy E;Barron A;Morales-Prieto N;Mazzocchi M;McCarthy CM;Collins LM;Sullivan AM;O'Keeffe GW; (2022) 'Gene Co-expression Analysis of the Human Substantia Nigra Identifies ZNHIT1 as an SNCA Co-expressed Gene that Protects Against a-Synuclein-Induced Impairments in Neurite Growth and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in SH-SY5Y Cells'. Molecular Neurobiology, [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2021) | 'Quinacrine and Niclosamide Promote Neurite Growth in Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons Through the Canonical BMP-Smad Pathway and Protect Against Neurotoxin and a-Synuclein-Induced Neurodegeneration' Goulding, Susan R.; Lévesque, Martin; Sullivan, Aideen M.; Collins, Louise M.; O’Keeffe, Gerard W. (2021) 'Quinacrine and Niclosamide Promote Neurite Growth in Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons Through the Canonical BMP-Smad Pathway and Protect Against Neurotoxin and a-Synuclein-Induced Neurodegeneration'. Molecular Neurobiology, [DOI] [Full Text] [Details] | |
| (2020) | 'The class II histone deacetylases as therapeutic targets for Parkinson's disease' Mazzocchi M;Collins LM;Sullivan AM;O'Keeffe GW; (2020) 'The class II histone deacetylases as therapeutic targets for Parkinson's disease'. Neuronal Signaling, 4 (2) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2020) | 'Association of distinct type 1 bone morphogenetic protein receptors with different molecular pathways and survival outcomes in neuroblastoma' Alshangiti AM;Wyatt SL;McCarthy E;Collins LM;Hegarty SV;Sullivan AM;O'Keeffe GW; (2020) 'Association of distinct type 1 bone morphogenetic protein receptors with different molecular pathways and survival outcomes in neuroblastoma'. Neuronal Signaling, 4 (1) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2020) | 'Growth differentiation factor 5 exerts neuroprotection in an a-synuclein rat model of Parkinson's disease' Goulding, Susan R.; Concannon, Ruth M.; Morales-Prieto, Noelia; Villalobos-Manriquez, Francisca; Clarke, Gerard; Collins, Louise M.; Lévesque, Martin; Wyatt, Sean L.; Sullivan, Aideen M.; O’Keeffe, Gerard W. (2020) 'Growth differentiation factor 5 exerts neuroprotection in an a-synuclein rat model of Parkinson's disease'. Brain, [DOI] [Full Text] [Details] | |
| (2020) | 'STRAP and NME1 Mediate the Neurite Growth-Promoting Effects of the Neurotrophic Factor GDF5' Anantha J.;Goulding S.R.;Wyatt S.L.;Concannon R.M.;Collins L.M.;Sullivan A.M.;O'Keeffe G.W. (2020) 'STRAP and NME1 Mediate the Neurite Growth-Promoting Effects of the Neurotrophic Factor GDF5'. Iscience, 23 (9) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2020) | 'The potential of bone morphogenetic protein 2 as a neurotrophic factor for Parkinson's disease' Goulding SR;Sullivan AM;O'Keeffe GW;Collins LM; (2020) 'The potential of bone morphogenetic protein 2 as a neurotrophic factor for Parkinson's disease'. Neural Regeneration Research, 15 (8) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2019) | 'Gene Co-expression Analysis Identifies Histone Deacetylase 5 and 9 Expression in Midbrain Dopamine Neurons and as Regulators of Neurite Growth via Bone Morphogenetic Protein Signaling' Mazzocchi, M;Wyatt, SL;Mercatelli, D;Morari, M;Morales-Prieto, N;Collins, LM;Sullivan, AM;O'Keeffe, GW (2019) 'Gene Co-expression Analysis Identifies Histone Deacetylase 5 and 9 Expression in Midbrain Dopamine Neurons and as Regulators of Neurite Growth via Bone Morphogenetic Protein Signaling'. Frontiers In Cell And Developmental Biology, 7 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2019) | 'Gene co-expression analysis of the human substantia nigra identifies BMP2 as a neurotrophic factor that can promote neurite growth in cells overexpressing wild-type or A53T a-synuclein' Goulding, Susan R.; Sullivan, Aideen M.; O'Keeffe, Gerard W.; Collins, Louise M. (2019) 'Gene co-expression analysis of the human substantia nigra identifies BMP2 as a neurotrophic factor that can promote neurite growth in cells overexpressing wild-type or A53T a-synuclein'. Parkinsonism & related disorders, [DOI] [Full Text] [Details] | |
| (2018) | 'Staff mentoring in Higher Education: the case for a mentored mentoring continuum' Brigid Lucey, Sarah O'Sullivan, Louise Collins, Ruairi O'Ceilleachair (2018) 'Staff mentoring in Higher Education: the case for a mentored mentoring continuum'. The All Ireland Journal of Teaching and Learning In Higher Education, Vol. 10 (No. 3):3651-36516 [Details] | |
| (2016) | 'Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ inhibits the survival and axon growth of midbrain dopaminergic neurons through a p38-MAPK dependent mechanism' Collins LM, Dal Bo G, Calcagno M, Monzón- Sandoval J, Sullivan AM, Gutierrez H, Morari M, O’Keeffe GW (2016) 'Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ inhibits the survival and axon growth of midbrain dopaminergic neurons through a p38-MAPK dependent mechanism'. Molecular Neurobiology, [Details] | |
| (2015) | 'Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatase (MKP)-1 in Nervous System Development and Disease' Collins L.M., Downer E.J., Toulouse A., Nolan Y.M. (2015) 'Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatase (MKP)-1 in Nervous System Development and Disease'. Molecular Neurobiology, 51 (June):1158-1167 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2015) | 'Class-IIa Histone Deacetylase Inhibition Promotes the Growth of Neural Processes and Protects Them Against Neurotoxic Insult' Collins L.M., Adriaanse L.J., Theratile S.D., Hegarty S.V., Sullivan A.M., O'Keeffe G.W. (2015) 'Class-IIa Histone Deacetylase Inhibition Promotes the Growth of Neural Processes and Protects Them Against Neurotoxic Insult'. Molecular Neurobiology, 51 (3):1432-1442 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2014) | 'Expression of endogenous Mkp1 in 6-OHDA rat models of Parkinson's disease' Collins LM, Gavin AM, Walsh S, Sullivan AM, Wyatt SL, O'Keeffe GW, Nolan YM, Toulouse A (2014) 'Expression of endogenous Mkp1 in 6-OHDA rat models of Parkinson's disease'. SpringerPlus, 3 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2014) | 'The neurite growth inhibitory effects of soluble TNF alpha on developing sympathetic neurons are dependent on developmental age' Nolan, AM,Collins, LM,Wyatt, SL,Gutierrez, H,O'Keeffe, GW (2014) 'The neurite growth inhibitory effects of soluble TNF alpha on developing sympathetic neurons are dependent on developmental age'. Differentiation; Research In Biological Diversity, 88 :124-130 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2014) | 'Canonical BMP-Smad Signalling Promotes Neurite Growth in Rat Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons' Hegarty, SV;Collins, LM;Gavin, AM;Roche, SL;Wyatt, SL;Sullivan, AM;O'Keeffe, GW (2014) 'Canonical BMP-Smad Signalling Promotes Neurite Growth in Rat Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons'. Neuromolecular medicine, 16 :473-489 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2013) | 'Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase (MKP)-1 as a neuroprotective agent: promotion of the morphological development of midbrain dopaminergic neurons' Collins, L.M., O'Keeffe, G.W., Long-Smith, C.M., Wyatt, S.L., Sullivan, A.M., Toulouse, A., Nolan, Y.M. (2013) 'Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase (MKP)-1 as a neuroprotective agent: promotion of the morphological development of midbrain dopaminergic neurons'. NeuroMolecular Medicine, 15 (2):435-446 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2012) | 'Exposure of foetal neural progenitor cells to IL-1β impairs their proliferation and alters their differentiation - a role for maternal inflammation?' Crampton S.J., Collins L.M., Toulouse A., Nolan Y.M., O'Keeffe G.W. (2012) 'Exposure of foetal neural progenitor cells to IL-1β impairs their proliferation and alters their differentiation - a role for maternal inflammation?'. Journal of Neurochemistry, 120 (6):964-973 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2012) | 'Contributions of central and systemic inflammation to the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease' Collins L.M., Toulouse A., Connor T.J., Nolan Y.M. (2012) 'Contributions of central and systemic inflammation to the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease'. Neuropharmacology, 62 (7):2154-2168 [DOI] [Full Text] [Details] | |
| (2010) | 'Interleukin-1 beta contributes to dopaminergic neuronal death induced by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated rat glia in vitro' Long-Smith, C.M., Collins, L., Toulouse, A., Sullivan, A.M., Nolan Y.M. (2010) 'Interleukin-1 beta contributes to dopaminergic neuronal death induced by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated rat glia in vitro'. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 226 (1-2):20-26 [DOI] [Details] |
Conference Publications
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2014) | RAMI Section of Biomedical Sciences Annual Meeting 2014 Hegarty S.V., Collins L.M., Gavin A.M., Roche S.L., Wyatt S.L., Sullivan A.M., O'Keeffe G.W. (2014) Canonical BMP-SMAD Signalling Promotes Neurite Growth in Embryonic Rat Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons RAMI Section of Biomedical Sciences Annual Meeting 2014 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2012) | Neuroscience Ireland Conference, Dublin Collins L.M., O'Keeffe G.W., Long-Smith C.M., Sullivan, A.M., Toulouse A, Nolan Y.M. (2012) Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase (MKP)-1 promotes the morphological development of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Irish J. Med. Sci. Poster Prize Neuroscience Ireland Conference, Dublin [Details] | |
| (2012) | Neuroscience Ireland Conference, Dublin Collins, L.M., O'Keeffe, G.W., Long-Smith, C.M., Sullivan, A.M., Toulouse, A., Nolan, Y.M. (2012) Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase (MKP)-1 promotes the morphological development of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Poster Prize . In: Irish J. Med. Sci eds. Neuroscience Ireland Conference, Dublin [Details] | |
| (2010) | 5th Neuroscience Ireland Annual Conference Collins L. M., Toulouse A., Nolan Y. M. (2010) Effect of Interleukin-1b and 6-Hydroxydopamine on MKP-1 Expression in Embryonic Rat Ventral Mesencephalic Precursor Cells 5th Neuroscience Ireland Annual Conference University College Dublin, , 02-SEP-10 - 03-SEP-10 [DOI] [Details] |
Published Letters
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2021) | Growth differentiation factor 5 exerts neuroprotection in an alpha-synuclein rat model of Parkinson's disease. Goulding, SR;Concannon, RM;Morales-Prieto, N;Villalobos-Manriquez, F;Clarke, G;Collins, LM;Levesque, M;Wyatt, SL;Sullivan, AM;O'Keeffe, GW (2021) Growth differentiation factor 5 exerts neuroprotection in an alpha-synuclein rat model of Parkinson's disease. OXFORD: Published Letters [DOI] [Details] |
Reviews
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2022) | Growth differentiation factor 5: a neurotrophic factor with neuroprotective potential in Parkinson's disease. Goulding, SR;Anantha, J;Collins, LM;Sullivan, AM;O'Keeffe, GW (2022) Growth differentiation factor 5: a neurotrophic factor with neuroprotective potential in Parkinson's disease. MUMBAI: Reviews [DOI] [Details] |
Professional Activities
Conference Contributions
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2013) | 8th Neuroscience Ireland Conference 2013, Collins, L.M., O'Keeffe, G.W., Gavin, A.M., Wyatt, S.L., Sullivan, A.M., Toulouse, A., Nolan, Y.M. (2013) Expression of endogenous MKP-1 in the adult rat nigrostriatal system following a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine striatal and medial forebrain lesion. [Poster Presentation], 8th Neuroscience Ireland Conference 2013, Cork, Ireland , 03-SEP-13 - 06-SEP-13. [Details] | |
| (2013) | 8th Neuroscience Ireland Annual Conference, Collins L.M., O'Keeffe G.W., Gavin A.M., Wyatt S.L., Sullivan A.M., Toulouse A., Nolan Y.M. (2013) Expression of endogenous Mkp-1 in the adult rat nigrostriatal system following a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine striatal and medial forebrain lesion. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], 8th Neuroscience Ireland Annual Conference, University College Cork, Ireland , 12-SEP-13 - 13-SEP-13. [Details] | |
| (2012) | 7th Neuroscience Ireland Conference, Collins LM, O'Keeffe GW, Long-Smith CM, Sullivan AM, Toulouse A, Nolan YM. (2012) Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase (MKP)-1 promotes the morphological development of midbrain dopmainergic neurons. [Poster Presentation], 7th Neuroscience Ireland Conference, Dublin, Ireland , 05-SEP-12 - 05-SEP-12. [Details] | |
| (2012) | 7th Neuroscience Ireland Annual Conference, Collins L.M., O'Keeffe G.W., Long-Smith C.M., Sullivan A.M., Toulouse A., Nolan Y.M. (2012) Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase (Mkp)-1 promotes the morphological development of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], 7th Neuroscience Ireland Annual Conference, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland , 05-SEP-12 - 06-SEP-12. [Details] | |
| (2011) | 6th Neuroscience Ireland Annual Conference, Collins L.M., Toulouse A., Nolan Y.M. (2011) 6-hydroxydopamine affects MKP-1 expression in differentiated embryonic rat ventral mesencephalic neural precursor cells. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], 6th Neuroscience Ireland Annual Conference, National University of Ireland Maynooth , 01-SEP-11 - 02-SEP-11. [Details] | |
| (2011) | 41st Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Collins L.M., Toulouse A., Nolan Y.M. (2011) Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) expression in 6-hydroxydopamine-treated embryonic rat mesencephalic neural precursor cells. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], 41st Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Washington DC , 12-NOV-11 - 16-NOV-11. [Details] | |
| (2011) | EFFECT OF INTERLEUKIN-1 beta AND 6-HYDROXYDOPAMINE ON MKP-1 EXPRESSION IN EMBRYONIC RAT VENTRAL MESENCEPHALIC PRECURSOR CELLS, Collins, LM,Toulouse, A,Nolan, YM (2011) IRISH JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCE. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], EFFECT OF INTERLEUKIN-1 beta AND 6-HYDROXYDOPAMINE ON MKP-1 EXPRESSION IN EMBRYONIC RAT VENTRAL MESENCEPHALIC PRECURSOR CELLS, Ireland . [Details] | |
| (2011) | 8th IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience, Collins L.M., Toulouse A., Nolan Y.M. (2011) Effect of 6-hydroxydopamine on MKP-1 expression in differentiated embryonic rat ventral mesencephalic neural precursor cells. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], 8th IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience, Florence, Italy , 14-JUL-11 - 18-JUL-11. [Details] | |
| (2009) | Translational Health Conference, UCC, Collins L., Long C., Sullivan A., Toulouse A., Nolan Y. (2009) The effect of pharmacological and endogenous p38 inhibition on 6-hydroxydopamine-treated rat ventral mesencephalic neurons in vitro. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Translational Health Conference, UCC, Ireland . [Details] |
Employment
| Employer | Position | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| University College Cork | Lecturer | 01-JUN-18 / | |
| Muster Technological University (MTU) | Lecturer - Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Biological Sciences | 01-MAR-17 / 01-MAY-18 | |
| MSD | Global Regulatory Affairs Specialist - CMC Biologics | 01-JUL-16 / 28-FEB-17 | |
| MSD | Technical Specialist - Center of Excellence for Biophysics and Bioassays (CoEBB) in Bioassay Center of Expertise (BBCEx), MSD Pharmaceuticals. | 01-MAR-15 / 30-JUN-16 | |
| University of Limerick | Postdoctoral Researcher | 01-SEP-14 / 28-FEB-15 | |
| University College Cork | Postdoctoral Researcher | 01-JUN-13 / 29-JUL-14 |
Education
| Year | Institution | Qualification | Subject | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | University College Cork | PhD | Neuroscience | |
| 2008 | University College Cork | MSc (Research) | Neuropharmacology | |
| 2006 | University College Cork | BSc (Hons) | Neuroscience |
Teaching Activities
Recent Postgraduates
| Graduation Year | Student Name | Institution | Degree Type | Thesis Title | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Martina Mazzocchi | NUI (UCC) | PHD | Defining the potential of class-IIa histone deacetylases as a therapeutic target for Parkinson’s disease | |
| 2021 | Susan Goulding | Cork Institute of Technology | PHD | Defining the potential of gene therapy with Bone Morphogenetic Proteins as a novel therapeutic approach in Parkinson's disease | |
| 2021 | Farhana Hanif Bilal | NUI (UCC) | MSc | Learning of human anatomy by Medical and Health Science students |
Research Information
Internal Collaborators
| Name | Institute | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prof. Gerard O'Keeffe | University College Cork | IRELAND | |
| Prof. Aideen Sullivan | University College Cork | IRELAND |
Contact details
- Louise Collins
- l.collins@ucc.ie
- +353-21-490-3000
- Lecturer in Medical and Health Sciences
- L.Collins@ucc.ie
- Floor 3, Western Gateway Building
University College Cork,
Cork T12 XF62
Ireland - + 353-21-4205428