Martin Collinson

Professor Martin Collinson is a Personal Chair at the University of Aberdeen's School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, located at the Institute of Medical Sciences in Aberdeen. His academic journey includes a BA in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge (1991), an MA from Cambridge (1994), and a PhD from the University of Edinburgh (1996). His research focuses on developmental genetics, stem cell biology, and ornithology. He has held roles including Lecturer (2002), Senior Lecturer (2005), Reader (2008), and Personal Chair (2012).

• Education: BA Natural Sciences (Cantab. 1991), MA (Cantab. 1994), PhD (Edinburgh 1996)
• Affiliations: Vice-chair of the Editorial Board of British Birds, former Chair of the BOU Records Committee

His research spans genetic basis of birth defects (e.g., clubfoot), corneal development (PAX6 gene studies), and avian taxonomy. Key projects include studying eye evolution in moles and migratory bird species. He has secured grants totaling over £1.4 million from MRC, BBSRC, and others.

Publications span 99+ articles in journals like eLife, Developmental Biology, and Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. He advises on bird taxonomy, including Cuban rails and parrot species identification. His lab explores stem cell activity in degenerative diseases and corneal epithelial dynamics.

Grants include MRC funding (£515k) for clubfoot research and BBSRC support (£643k) on cell migration. He collaborates internationally on projects like genetic analysis of migratory birds and corneal pathophysiology.

Labs/Teams: Based at the Institute of Medical Sciences, collaborating with teams in developmental biology and ornithology.