Dr Louise Collins is a Senior Lecturer and Principal Investigator in the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University College Cork (UCC). She is Programme Director of the interdisciplinary BSc (Hons) Medical and Health Sciences (CK707) programme. She holds a PhD from the School of Medicine, UCC, and completed postdoctoral research in UCC and the University of Limerick, focusing on neuroinflammation and molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration. 

Her research focuses on translational molecular medicine, examining how disrupted cellular pathways contribute to chronic disease and exploring therapeutic approaches that target these mechanisms. She leads research programmes in Parkinson's disease and women's health, with a particular focus on endometriosis.

Dr Collins was granted tenure in December 2022 and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in August 2023. She holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education from UCC and is currently completing the Postgraduate Diploma. She received the President's Award for Excellence in Teaching (Established Career Award) in December 2025. 

Dr Collins leads a programme of research in translational molecular medicine, investigating the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive chronic disease and translating these findings toward therapeutic development. Her research spans molecular biology, cell-based models and in vivo approaches, extending through to clinical samples and observational studies supported by strong clinical collaboration and patient involvement. She directs major thematic programmes in neurodegeneration (Parkinson's disease) and women's health (endometriosis). 

Dr. Collins has supervised four PhD researchers to completion, with two further candidates post-viva and has trained six MSc students, three Erasmus scholars, a research assistant and three postdoctoral researchers across funded projects. She currently supervises nine PhD researchers. Her supervisory portfolio encompasses projects examining signalling pathways, neurotrophic regulation, epigenetic and transcriptional mechanisms, neuroinflammation, microbiome-brain interactions, environmental neurotoxicology, iPSC-derived neuronal models and molecular factors underpinning endometriosis and reproductive disease. Her group has received recognition through competitive travel awards, best poster and best oral presentation prizes and national society awards.

Her research activity primarily aligns with UCC Futures-Future Ageing and Brain Science and contributes to wider institutional priorities in women's health. She collaborates with clinical partners in women's health and leads national engagement through the Mapping Endometriosis Research in Ireland initiative. Her work has been supported by competitive funding from the Irish Research Council (now Research Ireland), the Academic Health Sciences (AHS) Award (UCC), the RISAM Postgraduate Scholarship (MTU) and philanthropic support. 

Her current interests include: 

• Neurodegeneration and Parkinson's disease: cellular vulnerability, neuroinflammation and molecular pathways that regulate neuronal survival. 
• Neuroprotective and disease-modifying strategies: evaluation of small molecules, pathway modulation and mechanistic intervention. 
• Women's health and endometriosis: molecular and inflammatory drivers of lesion development and progression.
• Translational methodologies: integration of in vitro and in vivo models with patient samples, observational clinical studies and patient involvement. 

Her overarching goal is to advance mechanistic understanding and support the development of potential therapeutic interventions for chronic, progressive conditions. 

Dr. Collins teaches across all years of the BSc Medical and Health Sciences programme, coordinating several core modules and contributing to a range of additional undergraduate and postgraduate modules. 

She coordinatates 45 credits of teaching across the programme, including: 

She supervises undergraduate research projects within MH4010 and supervises students undertaking the MH3010 Structured Literature Project. 

Teaching Leadership

Dr Collins is Programme Director of the interdisciplinary BSc Medical and Health Sciences programme, which is delivered across the College of Medicine and Health and the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science. She has responsibility for academic and operational leadership across the contributing schools and departments. 

She serves as: 

Dr Collins developed and directs the TRAIN Awards (Translational Research Internship Awards), which provide structured research immersion opportunities for Year 2 students; more than fifty students have participated in this initiative. 

She provides academic oversight of the Year One Mentoring Programme, which offers structured support for students transitioning into university-level study. 

She also leads programme outreach and recruitment activities, including participation in university open days, school visits and regional recruitment events and supports programme admissions through oversight of Mature Student and Advanced Entry pathways. 

Her leadership extends across several experiential learning and industry-engaged initiatives, including the development of clinical development training pathways, work placement modules and innovative industry-delivered teaching. 

Teaching Interests

Dr Collins' teaching interests center on experiential, research-informed education that supports students in developing scientific identity, professional confidence and readiness for careers across the health and life sciences. She is particularly interested in designing curricula that integrate authentic research, industry engagement and reflective practice, enabling students to connect disciplinary knowledge with real-world application. 

Her teaching philosophy is grounded in constructive alignment, experiential learning theory and signature pedagogies in the biomedical sciences. Her interests include: 

• Translational science education
• Work-integrated and experiential learning
• Research skills development
• Assessment design and curriculum alignment 
• Evidence-based approaches to enhance student engagement, employability and academic success