Personal profile
Biography
Associate Professor in Microbiology
School of Biological and Chemical Sciences
College of Science and Engineering.
I am a microbiologist, interested in:
1. Environmental microbiology and biotechnology, particulalry for valorisation of residues in the bioeconomy;
2. International development: sustainable sanitation; pathogen, and antimicrobial resistance, transmission;
3. Microbiomes: leveraging the utility of microbiomes, and host-microbe interactions, in the natural and built environment.
I am interested inapplying novel, high-resolution microbiomics. My lab website is at www.collinslaboratory.com and my Google Scholar profile is here.
I have held a Science Foundation Ireland Career Development Award, and I was an ERC Laureate, Fulbright Scholar (UC Berkeley), Royal Irish Academy Charlemont Scholar, Ireland-Canada University Scholar (UBC, Vancouver), Marie Curie Fellow (Max Planck Institute, Bremen); Irish Research Council Fellow; and a British Science Association Media Fellow at The Irish Times.
Research Interests
- microbial ecosystems at the interfaces of the built and natural environment
- international development, relating to public health; antimicrobial resistance transmission; pathogen transmission; sustainable sanitation
- Interactions between carbon-, nitrogen-, sulfur- and iron-cycling for innovative, autotrophic management of nutrients
- genome-centric, microbial ecology, and ecophysiology, of complex biofilm aggregates and of host-microbe associations
- leveraging, and improving the reliability of, microbiomes to protect environmental quality and public health, and to sustain the built environment and the bioeconomy.
Teaching Interests
- Environmental Microbiology
- Evolution
- Microbial Ecology
- Environmental Biotechnology
- Chemolithotrophs in Industry
- Macroalgal valorisation
Research Projects
DARE2CYCLE: DAiry Waste and REsidues upCYCLing into Microbial ProtEin
Green ERA-Hub / Horizon Europe / Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and teh Marine
ALgas: Innovative macroalgal biorefining and social licencing for new biomethane production in Ireland
Research Ireland and Gas Networks Ireland innovation challenge
Related documents
Education/Academic qualification
BSc PhD
External positions
Lecturer Above the Bar, NUI Galway
1 Jan 2011 → 30 Jun 2014
Accepting PhD Students
- Accepting PhD Students
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 4 Quality Education -
SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation -
SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy -
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure -
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities -
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production -
SDG 13 Climate Action -
SDG 14 Life Below Water -
SDG 15 Life on Land -
SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Iron modulation of sulfur-mediated autotrophic denitrification: denitrification efficiency, microbial succession, and metabolic pathways
Chang, Y., Qiu, S., Collins, G., Hu, Y., Lee, P. H. & Zhan, X., Mar 2026, In: Bioresource Technology. 444, 133997.Research output: Contribution to a Journal (Peer & Non Peer) › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Iron modulation of sulfur-mediated autotrophic denitrification: denitrification efficiency, microbial succession, and metabolic pathways
Chang, Y., Qiu, S., Collins, G., Hu, Y., Lee, P.-H. & Zhan, X., Mar 2026, In: Bioresource Technology. 444, 133997Research output: Contribution to a Journal (Peer & Non Peer) › Article › peer-review
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Mutual dosing of tungsten, molybdenum and selenium impact anaerobic digestion microbiome
Silveira, K. A., Ramiro-Garcia, J., Lawless, C., Espinosa-Vazquez, J. M., Fermoso, F. G., Collins, G. & O’Flaherty, V., 2026, (Accepted/In press) In: BioMetals.Research output: Contribution to a Journal (Peer & Non Peer) › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Electroactive taxa stabilise a metal overdosed syntrophic propionate oxidising methanogenic consortia
Silveira, K. A., Trego, A. C., Ramiro-Garcia, J., Lawless, C., Collins, G., Fermoso, F. G. & O'Flaherty, V., 15 Nov 2025, In: Environmental Research. 285, 122580.Research output: Contribution to a Journal (Peer & Non Peer) › Article › peer-review
Open Access1 Citation (Scopus) -
Metagenome-assembled genomes from microbial communities in lab-scale anaerobic bioreactors treating simulated dairy wastewater
Mills, S., Collins, G., Ijaz, U. Z. & Lens, P. N. L., Dec 2025, In: Microbiology Resource Announcements. 14, 12Research output: Contribution to a Journal (Peer & Non Peer) › Article › peer-review
Open Access
Activities
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Victor Birlanga University of Galway
Collins, G. (Primary Supervisor)
2022 → 2024Activity: Other › Postgraduates Supervised
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Simon Mills University of Galway
Collins, G. (Primary Supervisor)
2022 → 2024Activity: Other › Postgraduates Supervised
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Anna Trego University of Galway
Collins, G. (Primary Supervisor)
2019 → 2024Activity: Other › Postgraduates Supervised
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Octavi Domingo University of Galway
Collins, G. (Primary Supervisor)
2019 → 2024Activity: Other › Postgraduates Supervised
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Anastasiia Kostrytsia University of Galway
Collins, G. (Other)
2018 → 2021Activity: Other › Postgraduates Supervised