Catherine Collins

Summary

Catherine Collins, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurosciences at Case Western Reserve University's School of Medicine. Her research focuses on axonal injury responses, regeneration mechanisms, and neuronal plasticity using Drosophila and mouse models. She leads the Collins Lab, which investigates cellular pathways regulating axonal degeneration, synaptic adaptation, and mitochondrial dynamics. Dr. Collins holds a PhD in Biophysics from UCSF and a BS in Biology from Bard College.

Research Interests

• Axonal vulnerability and repair mechanisms
• DLK and SARM1 signaling in injury responses
• Neuronal-glial interactions in axonal damage
• Genetic and cellular models of neurodegeneration

Key Contributions

Her work identifies conserved pathways in axonal degeneration and regeneration, including roles of Wnd/DLK and Vps13D proteins. Recent studies highlight complement activation and mitochondrial integrity in axonal repair. Over 40 peer-reviewed publications span molecular mechanisms to translational insights in neurobiology.

Laboratory Team

• Current members: PhD students, postdocs, and undergraduates
• Alumni include faculty and researchers at institutions like Wayne State University and Stanford