James E. Collins is an American veterinary physician and academic. He is the professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota and its Director of the veterinary diagnostic laboratory. Collins has written several research papers and articles in the field of veterinarian medicine.
Biography
Collins’ interest for veterinarian medicine was influenced by his brother who is also a veterinarian and a veterinary microbiologist at the University of Wisconsin. He went to the University of Minnesota to study veterinary science, later earning a Doctorate of veterinary medicine. In 1978, after completing his degree and a one-year practise, Collins began pursuing a master's degree in veterinary pathology at Michigan State University. In 1980, he started his Ph.D. in Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology. During his Ph.D., he was hired by Martin Berglund at South Dakota State University to help with swine diagnostic pathology.
Career
In 1986, Collins completed his Ph.D. and followed up as an associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Diagnostic Medicine, University of Minnesota with Berglund. During his research, Collins discovered a particular type of injury in pigs. This discovery led him to experimentally reproduce the disease in collaboration with fellow researchers and then create related vaccines and diagnostic tests known as “Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome” or PRRS. Collins was then recognized for this particular discovery. In 1998, Collins became the director of the University of Minnesota's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. During his tenure, he contributed to the creation and upgrade of the molecular diagnostic lab. He has been an important part of Zepto Life Technology as he has assisted the company's staff with diagnostic methodology selection and development. In September 2015, Collins resigned from his position of director of the University of Minnesota's Veterinary Diagnostic Lab.
Evaluation of a rapid fecal PCR test for detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in dairy cattle.
The impact of animal age, bacterial coinfection, and isolate pathogenicity on the shedding of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in aerosols from experimentally infected pigs.
Serological evaluation of precolostral serum samples to detect Bovine viral diarrhea virus infections in large commercial dairy herds.
Detection, characterization, and control of bovine viral diarrhea virus infection in a large commercial dairy herd.
Awards
Recognition for pioneering research on porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome.
Transmissible Diseases of Swine Committee, United States Animal Health Association - 1992
