James J. Collins

Dr. James J. Collins is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where he leads the Collins Lab focused on schistosome biology and parasitology research. His work addresses fundamental biological questions about parasitic flatworms that cause schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease affecting over 200 million people worldwide.

Dr. Collins received his BS in Biology from Southeast Missouri State University (2003) and PhD from Washington University in St. Louis (2008), followed by postdoctoral work with Phillip Newmark at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research program bridges basic science and translational applications, seeking to develop new therapeutic approaches against schistosomiasis.

His research interests center on schistosome stem cells, parasite reproductive biology, and functional genomics approaches to identify novel therapeutic targets. Dr. Collins investigates how schistosomes maintain themselves in human hosts for decades, with particular focus on the tegument (surface structure), stem cell populations, and molecular mechanisms controlling sexual development. His lab employs cutting-edge techniques including single-cell RNA sequencing, CRISPR-based approaches, and large-scale RNAi screening to uncover vulnerabilities in these parasites.

Analysis of Dr. Collins' publication record reveals a consistent focus on schistosome biology with increasing methodological sophistication over time. His recent work has pioneered single-cell transcriptomics of schistosomes, discovered novel pheromone signaling systems controlling parasite development, and identified potential new drug targets through large-scale functional genomics.

Dr. Collins mentors a diverse team of researchers including postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and research technicians. His lab collaborates extensively with other researchers working on neglected tropical diseases and maintains connections with the Schistosomiasis Resource Center to advance research in this field.

The Collins Lab is actively working to understand the relationship between schistosome stem cells and the tegument, discover novel molecules that could serve as vaccine candidates, and explore pheromone-based control of schistosome sexual development as a potential therapeutic strategy. Their research has significant implications for developing new treatments against a disease that currently relies on a single drug (praziquantel) with concerns about emerging resistance.