Training for Scientists|Info

When you hire a trainer, how do you know their content will be relevant to your staff or students?

I have over 20 years experience working in a research environment,
at research institutes at hom,e in France and in UK universities.
I know the system. I've managed teams of postdoc researchers, I've trained PhD students.
That's not to say "I know it all" but you know I've been there, lived through it and know what has worked.

When it comes to training, you will share that level of experience.

You know yourself how important relevance and credibility is - get it wrong and the word of mouth effect spreads the bad news like wildfire. Get it right and you have a waiting list for the next course.
Which outcome would you prefer?

I have the experience, I make sure my trainers have the experience. You can trust me to do the job.

Below I'll share two key types of information : testimonials from students on past courses and my curriculum vitae. I hope they help your decision-making.

Please do contact me to discuss any questions. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

email Margaret Collins
Telephone 0208 123 0099
write to PO Box 5157, Cardiff, CF5 9BB.

Testimonials

Presentation skills
*Thank you once again for the fantastic presentation session, it was very very helpful.
* I just wanted to say thank you so much for the presentations workshop yesterday, it was a really useful day.
* I came to the workshop with a deep fear of public speaking but left wanting to conquer that fear and perhaps even enjoy the experience in the future!

Research Project Management
* The best session so far!
* The small group size meant there was a real interactive exchange between tutor and colleagues.
* Great group participation. The Post-It notes exercise was lots of fun and very useful!
* I can really take control of my project and it's management. I have a better idea of what is involved and am inspired to think harder about the risks, tasks etc.

Time management
* A useful and enjoyable morning, which offered a range of approaches to thinking about one’s management of tasks and some practical strategies for improving one’s effectiveness (and efficiency!).
* Some really interesting concepts about positive mental attitude.
* I really enjoyed the delivery and enthusiasm of the presenter.
* Interaction with others was good - we have the same challenges but respond very differently.
* Lots of different time management tools.

Effective PhD planning
* I liked the way Margaret presented her topic. It was very impressive and interesting. Thank you for such valuable time and content.
* Impressive, interesting, incredibly valuable!
* Lecturing style of the tutor is very attractive. Fantastic two way communication and active learning.
* It's important - don't miss it!
* Very well presented and thought provoking. A must for all new PhD students!!

Introduction to molecular biology
* Excellent lecture and a very useful tutorial.
* Very good lecture, not the easiest stuff to teach but still kept us all interested.
* I wish all lecturers were as patient and good as her.

Personal development courses
* Interesting, thought provoking, life-changing!
* I think the best feedback I could give you is the fact I recommended friends to come to your course. The course itself was value for money and a valuable experience. In a short time I was able to reuse what I gained from the exercises in my personal and working life.
* Margaret creates an atmosphere so relaxed and friendly that it is very easy to become involved and really achieve better understanding of yourself and how to improve your life. Many thanks for your advice and support.
* Margaret has an innate knack of creating a confidential, and yet relaxed, atmosphere, thus enabling invaluable group discussions.

Curriculum vitae
1995-2008 : The Royal Veterinary College - Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Molecular Biology.
1991-95 : BBSRC Inst. for Animal Health - Senior Scientific Officer.
1987-91 : Protein Engineering Dept., BBSRC Inst. of Food Research - Section Head, Molecular Biology.
1986-87 : Department of Microbiology, University of Surrey - Postdoctoral Research Fellow.
1985 : Centre de Génétique Moléculaire, C.N.R.S., France - European Fellow of the Royal Society.
1981-84 : University College of Wales, Aberystwyth - PhD in Microbial Genetics.
1978-81 : University College of Wales, Aberystwyth - First Class Honours Degree in Cell and Immuno Biology.
In addition I am a professionally trained Coach (CoachU graduate), a Professional Behavioural Styles and Values Analyst, and a full member of the Higher Education Academy.

Young NJ, Thomas CJ, COLLINS ME, Brownlie J. Real-time RT-PCR detection of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea virus in whole blood using an external RNA reference. J Virol Methods. (2006) 138:218-22.

Young NJ, Thomas CJ, Thompson I, COLLINSME, Brownlie J. Immune responses to non-structural protein 3 (NS3) of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) in NS3 DNA vaccinated and naturally infected cattle. Prev Vet Med. (2005) 15;72:115-20.

Kempster S, COLLINS ME, Aronow BJ, Simmons M, Green RB, Edington N. Clusterin shortens the incubation and alters the histopathology of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in mice. Neuroreport. (2004) 15:1735-8.

Stokstad M, COLLINS M, Sørby R, Barboni P, Meyers G, Løken T, Brownlie J. The role of the defective interfering particle DI9c in mucosal disease in cattle. Arch Virol. (2004) 149:571-82

Stokstad M, Brownlie J, COLLINSME. Analysis of variation of bovine viral diarrhoea virus E2 sequence following transplacental infection of cattle. Vet Microbiol. (2004) 102:141-145

Kempster S, COLLINSME, Deacon R, Edington N. Impaired motor coordination on static rods in BSE-infected mice. Behav Brain Res. (2004) 154(1):291-5.

Kempster S, Collins ME, Edington N. Time of transforming growth factor beta 1 inoculation alters the incubation of BSE in mice. Neuroreport (2004) 15:2233-6.

Stokstad, M., COLLINS M. E., Knobloch P., Soerby R., Løken T. and Brownlie, J. (2004) The role of a defective interfering particle, DI9, in mucosal disease in cattle. Arch Virol 149: 571-582.

Nobiron, I, Thompson, I, Brownlie, J and COLLINS, ME. (2003) DNA vaccination against bovine viral diarrhoea virus induces humoral and cellular responses in cattle with evidence for protection against viral challenge. Vaccine 21: 2091-2101

Becher, P., Thiel, H.J., COLLINS, M., Brownlie, J. and Orlich, M. (2002) Cellular sequences in pestivirus genomes encoding gamma-aminobutyric acid (A) receptor-associated protein and Golgi-associated ATPase enhancer of 16 kilodaltons. J Virol 76:13069-13076.

Garside, L.H., COLLINS, M., Langford, P.R. and Rycroft, A.N. (2002) Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1 carrying the defined aroA mutation is fully avirulent in the pig. Res Vet Sci. 72:163-167.

Kempster, S., COLLINS, M.E. and Brownlie J. (2002) Tat protein expression in MDBK cells does not confer susceptibility to Bovine Immunodeficiency Virus. Arch Virol 147: 643 649.

Benarafa, C., COLLINS, M.E., Hamblin, A.S. and Cunningham, F.M. (2002) Role of the chemokine eotaxin in the pathogenesis of equine sweet itch. Vet Rec. 151: 691-693.

Benarafa, C., COLLINS, M.E., Hamblin, A.S., Sabroe, I. and Cunningham, F,M. (2002) Characterisation of the biological activity of recombinant equine eotaxin in vitro. Cytokine 19: 27-30.

English, K., et al., (2001) DNA analysis of Pneumocystis infecting a Cavalier King Charles spaniel. J Eukaryot Microbiol, 2001.

Nobiron, I., Thompson, I., Brownlie, J. and COLLINS, M.E.. (2001) Cytokine adjuvancy of BVDV DNA vaccine enhances both humoral and cellular immune responses in mice. Vaccine 19:4226-4235.

Barboni, P., Thompson, I., Brownlie, J., Hartaningsih, N. and COLLINS, M.E.. (2001) Evidence for the presence of two bovine lentiviruses in the cattle population of Bali. Vet Microbiol. 80:313-327.

Benarafa, C., Cunningham, F.M., Hamblin, A.S., Horohov, D.W. and COLLINS, M E. (2000) Cloning of equine chemokines eotaxin, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, MCP-2 and MCP-4, mRNA expression in tissues and induction by IL-4 in dermal fibroblasts. Vet Immunol Immunopathol. 76:283-298.

Nobiron, I., Thompson, I., Brownlie, J. and COLLINS, M.E. (2000) Co-administration of IL 2 enhances antigen-specific immune responses following vaccination with DNA encoding the glycoprotein E2 of bovine viral diarrhoea virus. Vet Microbiol. 76:129-142.

COLLINS, M.E., Desport, M. and Brownlie, J. (1999) Bovine viral diarrhea virus quasispecies during persistent infection. Virology 259:85-98.

Booth, P. J., COLLINS, M. E., Jenner, L., Prentice, H., Ross, J., Badsberg, J. H. and Brownlie, J. (1999) Association of non-cytopathogenic BVDV with bovine blastocysts: effects of washing, duration of viral exposure and degree of blastocyst expansion. Veterinary Record 144:150-152.

Booth, P.J., COLLINS, M.E., Jenner, L., Prentice, H., Ross, J., Badsberg, J.H. and Brownlie, J. (1998) Noncytopathogenic bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) reduces cleavage but increases blastocyst yield of in vitro produced embryos. Theriogenology 50:769-777.

Hsu, S-C., Obeid, O. E., COLLINS, M., Iqbal, M., Chargelegue D. and Steward, M. W. (1998) Protective cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses against paramyxoviruses induced by epitope-based DNA vaccines: involvement of IFN [ggr]. International Immunology 10:1441-1447.

Brownlie, J., Hooper, L.B., Thompson, I., and COLLINS, M.E. (1998) Maternal recognition of foetal infection with bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVDV) - the bovine pestivirus. Clinical and Diagnostic Virology 10:141-150.

Desport, M., COLLINS M.E. and Brownlie J. (1998) Genome instability in BVDV: an examination of the sequence and structural influences on RNA recombination. Virology 246:352-361.

Getting the right trainer