Robert Collins, M.D.

Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center

Sydney and J.L. Huffines Distinguished Chair in Cancer Research in Honor of Eugene Frenkel, M.D.
H. Lloyd and Willye V. Skaggs Professorship in Medical Research

Internal Medicine - Hematology/Oncology
Leukemia Treatment
Lymphoma Treatment

New Patient Appointment Accepting Virtual Visits or 214-645-4673

Biography

Robert H. Collins Jr., M.D., FACP, is a Professor of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center and a member of its Division of Hematology and Oncology. He serves as Director of the Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy Program and the Combined Adult/Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant Program.

He holds the Sydney and J.L. Huffines Distinguished Chair in Cancer Research in Honor of Eugene Frenkel, M.D., and is the H. Lloyd and Willye V. Skaggs Professor in Medical Research.

A recognized leader in the field of adoptive immunotherapy and molecular-targeted therapy, Dr. Collins specializes in hematologic malignancies, including leukemia, lymphoma, and myelodysplastic syndrome.

Dr. Collins earned his medical degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. He completed an internal medicine residency at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, as well as a fellowship in hematology and oncology at the University of California Los Angeles.

Board-certified in internal medicine and medical oncology, Dr. Collins has 35 years of experience in bone marrow transplantation and has participated in some 3,000 autologous and allogeneic transplants.

He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of numerous scientific and medical organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society of Hematology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy.

Dr. Collins has led studies of donor leukocyte infusions through an international network of more than 100 centers and has participated in several dozen clinical trials, phases one through three, investigating novel approaches to hematologic malignancies and blood and marrow transplantation. He has been published more than 150 times in leading journals, including The Lancet, JAMA, The New England Journal of Medicine, Blood, and the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

He is listed in Best Doctors in America (1998-2024), Texas Monthly Super Doctors (2008-2024), and D Magazine Best Doctors in Dallas (1994-2024). He is in the D Magazine Hall of Fame and the Texas Monthly Super Doctors Hall of Fame.

Dr. Collins is a recipient of the John J. Kenny Award from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the Lee Grubman Hero of the Year Award from the Lymphoma Research Foundation, and the Patricia and William L. Watson Jr., M.D. Award, UT Southwestern’s highest honor in clinical medicine.

Meet Dr. Collins

Blood and Marrow Transplant Specialist

Leukemia patients, including those who require lifesaving bone marrow transplants, have more treatment options than ever, says hematologist/oncologist Robert Collins Jr., M.D., FACP.

“We are completely dedicated to giving our patients the best possible care." – Dr. Robert Collins Jr., M.D., FACP

A specialist in leukemia, lymphoma, and cellular therapy, including stem cell transplantation and CAR T-cell therapy, Dr. Collins is Director of the Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy Program and the Combined Adult/Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

“The fields are just exploding – from our understanding of their scientific underpinnings to the therapies we can offer patients – and it’s only getting better,” he says.

Dr. Collins treats patients with all types of leukemia – from the most common and straightforward cases to the rarest and most complex, as well as those with other hematologic malignancies and bone marrow diseases, including lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndrome, and aplastic anemia.

A noted expert in his field, Dr. Collins has, since the late 1980s, helped to develop the treatment known as adoptive immunotherapy, which involves manipulating a donor’s immune system so that it attacks cancer cells. He has led an international network in studies of adoptive immunotherapy, and he applies the approach daily in his clinical practice.

More recently, Dr. Collins has been involved in development of new molecular-targeted therapies for leukemia, based on recent insights into the biology of the disease.

From caring for patients to conducting research, Dr. Collins finds all aspects of his work gratifying.

“It’s incredibly inspiring to see the dignity with which the patients face their illnesses,” he says. “It’s an honor to be able to work side-by-side with them to come up with the best possible approaches to their diseases.”

As the leader of two treatment programs, Dr. Collins is proud that UT Southwestern offers the best care in the area for patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.

“We have a team of highly talented, dedicated people in a highly complicated field, and I'm proud of the work we do here every day.”

Education & Training

Medical School - University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine (1980-1984)
Fellowship - UCLA (1987-1989), Hematology Oncology
Residency - Baylor University Medical Center (1984-1987), Internal Medicine

Professional Associations & Affiliations

American Association for the Advancement of Science
American College of Physicians
American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy
American Society of Clinical Oncology
American Society of Hematology
Dallas County Medical Society
International Society for Experimental Hematology
Texas Society of Medical Oncology

Honors & Awards

Dr. John J. Kenny Award, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (2009)
Lee Grubman Hero of the Year Award, Lymphoma Research Foundation (2023)
Patricia and William L. Watson Jr., M.D. Award for Excellence in Clinical Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center (2022)
The Best Doctors in America, Best Doctor (1998-2024)
Best Doctors in Dallas, D Magazine (1994-2024)
Best Doctors Hall of Fame, D Magazine (2022)
Super Doctors, Texas Monthly (2008-2024)
Super Doctors Hall of Fame, Texas Monthly (2024)
American Cancer Society Clinical Oncology Fellow, American Cancer Society (1988)
Basic Science Award, St. Louis Friends of the UMKC School of Medicine (1984)
Fellow of the American College of Physicians

Books & Publications

Publications
- Crenolanib and Intensive Chemotherapy in Adults With Newly Diagnosed FLT3-Mutated AML.
  Wang ES, Goldberg AD, Tallman M, Walter RB, Karanes C, Sandhu K, Vigil CE, Collins R, Jain V, Stone RM, Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2024 Feb JCO2301061
- Precision medicine treatment in acute myeloid leukemia using prospective genomic profiling: feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the Beat AML Master Trial.
  Burd A, Levine RL, Ruppert AS, Mims AS, Borate U, Stein EM, Patel P, Baer MR, Stock W, Deininger M, Blum W, Schiller G, Olin R, Litzow M, Foran J, Lin TL, Ball B, Boyiadzis M, Traer E, Odenike O, Arellano M, Walker A, Duong VH, Kovacsovics T, Collins R, Shoben AB, Heerema NA, Foster MC, Vergilio JA, Brennan T, Vietz C, Severson E, Miller M, Rosenberg L, Marcus S, Yocum A, Chen T, Stefanos M, Druker B, Byrd JC, Nature medicine 2020 Dec 26 12 1852-1858
- Durable Remissions with Ivosidenib in IDH1-Mutated Relapsed or Refractory AML.
  DiNardo CD, Stein EM, de Botton S, Roboz GJ, Altman JK, Mims AS, Swords R, Collins RH, Mannis GN, Pollyea DA, Donnellan W, Fathi AT, Pigneux A, Erba HP, Prince GT, Stein AS, Uy GL, Foran JM, Traer E, Stuart RK, Arellano ML, Slack JL, Sekeres MA, Willekens C, Choe S, Wang H, Zhang V, Yen KE, Kapsalis SM, Yang H, Dai D, Fan B, Goldwasser M, Liu H, Agresta S, Wu B, Attar EC, Tallman MS, Stone RM, Kantarjian HM The New England journal of medicine 2018 06 378 25 2386-2398
- Identification and monitoring of graft-versus-host specific T-cell clone in stem cell transplantation.
  Michálek J, Collins RH, Hill BJ, Brenchley JM, Douek DC Lancet 2003 Apr 361 9364 1183-5
- Definitive separation of graft-versus-leukemia- and graft-versus-host-specific CD4+ T cells by virtue of their receptor beta loci sequences.
  Michalek J, Collins RH, Durrani HP, Vaclavkova P, Ruff LE, Douek DC, Vitetta ES Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2003 Feb 100 3 1180-4
- Prospective trial of chemotherapy and donor leukocyte infusions for relapse of advanced myeloid malignancies after allogeneic stem-cell transplantation.
  Levine JE, Braun T, Penza SL, Beatty P, Cornetta K, Martino R, Drobyski WR, Barrett AJ, Porter DL, Giralt S, Leis J, Holmes HE, Johnson M, Horowitz M, Collins RH Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2002 Jan 20 2 405-12
- Assessment of thymic output in adults after haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation and prediction of T-cell reconstitution.
  Douek DC, Vescio RA, Betts MR, Brenchley JM, Hill BJ, Zhang L, Berenson JR, Collins RH, Koup RA Lancet 2000 May 355 9218 1875-81
- Donor leukocyte infusions in 140 patients with relapsed malignancy after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
  Collins RH, Shpilberg O, Drobyski WR, Porter DL, Giralt S, Champlin R, Goodman SA, Wolff SN, Hu W, Verfaillie C, List A, Dalton W, Ognoskie N, Chetrit A, Antin JH, Nemunaitis J Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 1997 Feb 15 2 433-44
- Brief report: donor-derived long-term multilineage hematopoiesis in a liver-transplant recipient.
  Collins RH, Anastasi J, Terstappen LW, Nikaein A, Feng J, Fay JW, Klintmalm G, Stone MJ The New England journal of medicine 1993 Mar 328 11 762-5