Catherine A. Collins, Ph.D.
Washington University School of MedicinePhone: (314) 362-9866
Department of PharmacologyFax: (314) 362-7058
St. Louis, MO
Education
Doctor of Philosophy, Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco 2000
Bachelor of Science, Biology, Minor in Chemistry, Bard College, Annandale, NY 1993
Professional Positions
Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MOFall 2001-present
Post-doctoral Fellow in laboratory of Aaron DiAntonio
University of California, Berkeley 2001
Post-doctoral Fellow in laboratory of Corey Goodman
San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 2000
Instructor (Genetics) in Department of Biology
University of California, San Francisco 1993-2000
Graduate Student in laboratory of Christine Guthrie
Honors and Awards
James L. O’Leary Prize, Department of Neurology, Washington University2006
Postdoctoral Fellowship from Paralyzed Veterans of America2004-2006
Postdoctoral Fellowship from Damon Runyon Cancer Foundation2001-2003
Postdoctoral Fellowship from Jane Coffin Childs Foundation (awarded but declined)2001
Graduate Opportunity Fellowship, University of California, San Francisco1994-1996
Harold Griffiths Award in Chemistry, Bard College1993
Research Interests
I am interested in how synapses form, and how their formation is regulated by developmental cues and experience. Using Drosophila as a model system, I have recently discovered a new molecular pathway that promotes synaptic growth and the process of axonal transport. My future directions include genetic, biochemical, and live imaging approaches to characterize the function and mechanism of the pathway. I am interested in how this pathway regulates gene expression, and in how this pathway signals from the synapse to the nucleus. Since this molecular pathway is conserved, my work will generate new tools for studying signaling and transport mechanisms in the axon, and will be relevant to the study of neurodegenerative disorders and repair of neuronal injuries.
Research Experience
Postdoctoral Research with Aaron DiAntonio at Washington University2001-present
Function of the vesicular glutamate transporter (DVGLUT) in Drosophila
Developed tools for studying the expression and function of the transporter that loads synaptic vesicles with glutamate at the Drosophila NMJ. This work has thus far generated three publications.
Restraint of synaptic growth by a ubiquitin ligase
Identified the MAPKKK Wallenda as the functional target of the Highwire ubiquitin ligase during synaptic growth. This work has generated one publication and many future directions.
Postdoctoral Fellowship with Corey Goodman at Univeristy of California, Berkeley2001
Wrote fellowship applications to study the regulation of guidance receptors on growth cones during axon guidance. Learned techniques in Drosophila genetics and topics in axon guidance.
Graduate Research with Christine Guthrie at UCSF1994-2000
The role of protein in the catalytic core of the spliceosome
Used genetic and biochemical techniques to investigate the role protein in catalysis of pre-mRNA splicing. My data suggests that Prp8, the most highly conserved protein in the spliceosome, acts via an RNA structure. This supports the model that the spliceosome is, at its core, an RNA enzyme.
Other Research Experience and Training
Course in Neurobiology of Drosophila at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory2001
Rotation projects in structural biology with Robert Fletterick, Fred Cohen and Alan Frankel at UCSF.
Undergraduate research project in biology at Bard College.1993
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship at Dartmouth Medical School1992
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship at Rockefeller University.1991
Teaching Experience
Instruction
Instructor
San Francisco State University, Department of BiologyFall 2000
Co-taught the Introduction to Genetics course. Developed and presented three lectures per week to two sections of approximately 50 students each. Gave one-on-one instruction to students in bi-weekly office hours. Designed problems and exams.
Teaching Assistant
University of California, San Francisco, School of PharmacyFall 1997, Winter 1998
Presented lectures to introduce weekly laboratory exercises and underlying principles in Physical Chemistry and Kinetics. Supervised students through problem-solving exercises, assisted students during weekly office hours. Graded weekly assignments and exams.
Mentorship
Washington University, St. Louis, DiAntonio lab2001-present
Supervised research projects for three undergraduate students (Pavan Bhat, Masha Gelfand, and Timothy Tran), and rotation projects for two graduate students. This entailed instruction in Drosophila genetics, molecular biology, microscopy, and biochemistry. Masha Gelfand, whose work has contributed to two publications, is now a graduate student at Harvard, and Timothy Tran is now in medical school at Washington University. Pavan Bhat is only a junior, but already intends to attend graduate school.
University of California, San Francisco, Guthrie lab1994-2000
Supervised two graduate student rotation projects and one undergraduate summer project.
Community Outreach
Young Scientists Program, Washington University2002-2004
Chemistry Team Led activities in chemistry for high school students in the St. Louis public school district.
Science Education Partnership, UCSF1998-2000
STAT Project Designed and taught three lessons in genetics for fifth graders.
SF BASE Biotechnology Project Led a laboratory exercise in DNA fingerprinting for high school students.
C. D. Owen High School, Swannanoa, NC1991
Taught three lessons in molecular biology and DNA fingerprinting to several biology classes at my alma mater high school. Obtained electrophoresis equipment for the school with a grant from the Department of Energy.
Publications
Horiuchi, D.*, Collins, C.A.*, Barkus, R.V., Bhat, P., DiAntonio, A., and Saxton, W.M. in preparation, APLIP1/JIP-1 and the JNK pathway kinases regulate kinesin-1 mediated axonal transport in Drosophila.
*co-first author
Collins, C.A., and DiAntonio, A. (2007). Synaptic Development: Insights from Drosophila. Current Opinion in Neurobiology.Invited submission, in press.
Collins, C.A., Wairkar, Y.P., Johnson, S.L. and DiAntonio, A. (2006). Highwire restrains synaptic growth by attenuating a MAP kinase signal. Neuron 51: 57-69.
Daniels R.W., Collins C.A., Chen, K., Gelfand, M.V., Featherstone, D.E., DiAntonio, A. (2006)
A single vesicular glutamate transporter is sufficient to fill a synaptic vesicle.
Neuron 49:11-6.
Wu, C., Wairkar Y.P., Collins C.A., DiAntonio A. (2005). Highwire function at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction: spatial, structural, and temporal requirements. Journal of Neuroscience. 25:9557-66.
Daniels, R.W.*, Collins, C.A*., Gelfand, M.V., Dant, J., Brooks, E.S., Krantz, D.E., DiAntonio, A. (2004) Increased expression of the Drosophila vesicular glutamate transporter leads to excess glutamate release and a compensatory decrease in quantal content. Journal of Neuroscience 24:10466-74.
*co-first author
Collins, C. A., and DiAntonio, A. (2004). Coordinating synaptic growth without being a nervous wreck. Neuron41: 489-91.
Collins, C. A., and Guthrie, C. (2001), Genetic interactions between the 5' and 3' splice site consensus sequences and U6 snRNA during the second catalytic step of pre-mRNA splicing. RNA 7:1845-54.
Collins, C. A., and Guthrie, C. (2000), The question remains: Is the spliceosome a ribozyme? Nature Structual Biology7: 850-4.
Collins, C. A., and Guthrie, C. (1999), Allele-specific genetic interactions between Prp8 and RNA active site residues suggest a function for Prp8 at the catalytic core of the spliceosome, Genes and Development13: 1970-1982.
Catherine A. Collins
curriculum vitae, p.1