Melanie Sue Collins, MD

Education

Education
BS/BA, University of Connecticut, 1997
MD, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 2002

Residency
Pediatrics, University of Connecticut, 2002-2005

Fellowship
Pediatric Pulmonology, University of Connecticut, 2005-2008

Board Certifications

Faculty Appointment

Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine

Clinical Expertise

Dr. Collins is Director of the Pediatric Pulmonary Fellowship Program. She is also Director of the Cardiopulmonary Testing Laboratory that provides pulmonary function testing as well as cardiac stress testing. The lab became recognized by the American Thoracic Society for the first time in 2021 under her direction.

She became the Medical Director of the Division in July of 2021 and in October 2021 Co-Director of the Asthma Center as well. Dr. Collins is the Associate Director of the Central Connecticut Cystic Fibrosis Center and Clinical Director of the cystic fibrosis newborn screening program and a member of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) Special Interest Group on newborn screening. She is a Skills Champion for the CFF Partnership Enhancement Program.

Dr. Collins became Fellowship Director in July 2020. She has recently started the Pediatric Pulmonary Fellowship Diversity/Inclusion Committee to help broaden the depth of the program. In 2022, she was selected to be on the ACGME National Committee to draft the pediatric pulmonary fellowship “new” milestones. In addition, she has enrolled the Fellowship Program in two national studies to improve the quality of the evaluation process of our fellows and to provide a dynamic telemedicine curriculum. Her goal is to expand and enhance the individuality of the program. She is a member of the Association of the Pediatric Program Directors and the Pediatric Pulmonary Training Directors Association (PEPTDA).

Dr. Collins worked with her co-director Dr. Jess Hollenbach to revise the Easy Breathing Program guidelines to reflect the new national (NHLBI) asthma guidelines. They have collaborated to bring many presentations on “SMART” asthma therapy to primary care providers to help them embrace these guidelines.

In 2022, Dr. Collins was selected to be on a national CF grant from the CF Foundation for telegenetics in CF NBS due to the success of incorporating telegenetics, under her guidance and collaboration with Dr. Sidney Hopfer, into our CF Newborn Screening Program at University of Connecticut Health Center. In 2014, Dr. Collins co-chaired a symposium on care of the young child with cystic fibrosis at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference. She is also part of the CF patient and family advisory board and the Connecticut Children’s QI team, which has been featured in CFF educational materials and presents nationally.

Dr. Collins was selected in 2021 to be the E-cigarette Chapter Champion for the CT AAP in recognition of her work in advocacy to prevent vaping in children. She received a Special Achievement Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics for her work in advocacy for the prevention of vaping.

Dr. Collins collaborates with Dr. Tom Murray at Yale to investigate bacterial aerosolization from patient nebulizers in the laboratory setting. They also investigate the most efficient/effective methods of disinfecting nebulizers for cystic fibrosis patients.

Dr. Collins has great passion for caring for all children with complex medical conditions and educating the next generation of pediatric pulmonologists. She strives to maximize patients’ respiratory function (and minimize their treatments) so that they can lead happy and healthy lives. She is a member of the American Thoracic Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Selected Publications

• Harris JC, Collins MS, Huang PH, Schramm CM, Nero T, Yan J, Murray TS. Bacterial Surface Detachment during Nebulization with Contaminated Reusable Home Nebulizers. Microbiol Spectr. 2022 Feb 23;10(1):e0253521.

• Justine Mrosak, Kenneth Banasiak, Barbara Edelheit, Craig Lapin, Heather Tory, Melanie Sue Collins. Polymyxin-B Hemoperfusion as a Novel Treatment for Rapidly Progressive Interstitial Lung Disease in a Pediatric Patient Diagnosed With Anti-MDA5 Juvenile Dermatomyositis J Clin Rheumatol 2019 Nov 15.

• Murray TS, O’Rourke TK Jr, Feinn R, Drapeau G, Collins MS. Nebulizer cleaning and disinfection practices in families with cystic fibrosis: The relationship between attitudes, practice and microbe colonization. J Cyst Fibros. 2019 May 21. S1569-1993(19)

• Collins MS, Murray TS. Letter to the Editor-reply. Repeated hot water and steam disinfection of pari LC Plus® nebulizers alters nebulizer output. J Cyst Fibros. 2019 Mar;18(2):e17-e18.

• Collins MS, O’Brien M, Schramm CM, Murray TS. Repeated hot water and steam disinfection of Pari LC Plus® nebulizers alter nebulizer output. J Cyst Fibros. 2019 Mar;18(2): 233-235.

• Towle D, Baker V, Schramm C, O’Brien M, Collins MS, Feinn R, Murray TS. Ozone disinfection of home nebulizers effectively kills common cystic fibrosis bacterial pathogens. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2018 May;53(5):599-604.

• Lenehan PJ, Schramm CM, Collins MS. An evaluation strategy for potential QTc prolongation with chronic azithromycin therapy in cystic fibrosis.  J Cyst Fibrosis. 2016 Mar;15(2)192-5.

• Kaleel M, Schramm C, Pascal M, O’Loughlin M, Collins MS.* Serial Lung Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Monitor Disease Progression in a Child with a Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage Syndrome, J Clin Med Res. 2015 April; 7(4): 267-269.

• Simon M, Collins MS. The Pediatric Lung and Aspiration. SIG 13 Perspectives on Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (Dysphagia), Dec 2013;22(4)142-154.

• Sinisgalli S, Collins MS, Schramm CM. Clinical features cannot distinguish allergic from non-allergic asthma in children. J Asthma 2012 Feb;49(1) 51-6.

• Collins MS, Schramm CM et al. Consensus in Pediatrics. 2010.

• Collins MS*, Abbott MA, Wakefield DB, Lapin CD, Drapeau G, Hopfer SM, Greenstein RM, Cloutier MM. Improved Pulmonary and Growth Outcomes in Cystic Fibrosis by Newborn Screening. Pediatr Pulmonol 2008 Jul;43(7):648-55.

• Feder HM, Collins M. How Connecticut Primary Care Physicians View Treatments for Streptococcal and Nonstreptococcal Pharyngitis. Clin Ther 2008 Jan; 30(1): 158-163.

• Carroll CL, Smith SR, Collins MS, Bhandari A, Schramm CM, Zucker, AR. Endotracheal intubation and pediatric status asthmaticus: Site of original care affects treatment. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2007 Mar;8(2): 91-95.

• Collins MS*, Murray TS, Rizzi MD. “Sinus Disease in Cystic Fibrosis.” Infectious Diseases in Pediatric Otolaryngology. In: Valdez T, Vallejo J. Switzerland: Springer International, 2016. 121-33.