Matthew Collins (academic)

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}

{{Use British English|date=October 2017}}

{{Infobox scientist

| name = Matthew Collins

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| image = Matthew Collins.jpg

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| caption = Collins in August 2014

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| nationality = British

| fields = Bioarchaeology

| workplaces = University of Copenhagen: University of Cambridge

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| alma_mater = Bangor University

| thesis_title = Taphonomic processes in a deep water Modiolus-brachiopod assemblage from the west coast of Scotland

| thesis_url = http://theses.gla.ac.uk/3965/1/1986CollinsPhD.pdf

| thesis_year = 1986

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| known_for = Work on biological, molecular and scientific approaches to archaeological material

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| module = {{Listen|pos=center| embed=yes |filename = Matthew Collins (academic) voice.flac |title = Collins' voice |type = speech |description = recorded March 2018 }}

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Matthew Collins, {{post-nominals|country=GBR|commas=on|FBA|size=100%}} is a professor at the University of Copenhagen, formerly as a Niels Bohr professor,{{cite web|url=http://dg.dk/en/2016/05/20/here-are-the-seven-new-niels-bohr-professors// |title=Niels Bohr Professors |publisher=Danish National Research Foundation |date=2016-05-20 |accessdate=2016-10-01}} and also holds a McDonald Chair in Palaeoproteomics at the University of Cambridge.{{Cite web|url=https://www.arch.cam.ac.uk/directory/professor-matthew-collins|title=Professor Matthew Collins — Department of Archaeology|last=66bac24eaa334ec78169f1aadc72f8aa|website=www.arch.cam.ac.uk|language=en|access-date=2019-06-10}}

Prior to joining Cambridge he was professor of biomolecular archaeology at the University of York{{cite web|url=https://www.york.ac.uk/archaeology/staff/academic-staff/matthew-collins/ |title=Prof. Matthew Collins - Archaeology, The University of York |publisher=York University |date=2014-07-17 |accessdate=2014-07-21}} where he founded BioArCh, a collaboration between the departments of biology, chemistry and archaeology (BioArCh: Biology Archaeology, Chemistry).

His research focuses on the persistence of proteins in ancient samples, using modelling to explore the racemization of amino acids and thermal history to predict the survival of DNA and other molecules Using a combination of approaches (including immunology and protein mass spectrometry) his research detects and interprets protein remnants in archaeological and fossil remains.

With former PhD student Mike Buckley he developed ZooMS (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry){{cite book|title=Van Doorn, N. L. in Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology 7998–8000 (Springer New York, 2014)|pages=7998–8000|doi=10.1007/978-1-4419-0465-2_2418|chapter = Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS)|year = 2014|last1 = Van Doorn|first1 = Nienke L.|isbn=978-1-4419-0426-3}} a way to rapidly identify bone and other collagen based materials using peptide mass fingerprinting.

In 2022 Collins received the Pomerance Award for Scientific Contributions to Archaeology from the Archaeological Institute of America.{{cite web | url= https://www.archaeological.org/grant/pomerance-award-for-scientific-contributions/ |title=Pomerance Award For Scientific Contributions To Archaeology Archaeological Institute of America |publisher=AIA |date=2022-01-03 |accessdate=2023-05-15}} Collins was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 2014 {{cite web | url=http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/british-academy-announces-42-new-fellows/2014585.article | title=British Academy announces 42 new fellows | publisher=Times Higher Education | date=18 July 2014 | accessdate=18 July 2014}}{{cite web |url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/education/news/11352797.Academic_honoured_by_fellowship/ |title=Academic honoured by fellowship (From York Press) |publisher=York University news |date= |accessdate=2014-07-21 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140726073950/http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/education/news/11352797.Academic_honoured_by_fellowship/ |archive-date=26 July 2014 |url-status=dead }} in 2014, the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters in 2021 and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 2022.{{cite web | url=https://www.dg.dk/en/professor-matthew-collins-elected-as-a-member-of-the-royal-swedish-academy/ | title=Professor Matthew Collins elected as a member of the Royal Swedish Academy | publisher=DNRF | date= 14 February 2022| accessdate=2023-05-15}}