Jake famously tried to join the lab as a freshman, but delayed actually learning the amino acids for months. Given his interest, Dr. Miller gave him access to only one computer in the lab until he learned his amino acids. Jake worked on our only QM project related to DNA polymerase for years. He even was awarded GIASR funding in Summer 2019 and presented his results at the MERCURY Conference on undergraduate computational chemistry in July 2019. Jake did a summer research experience in Tennessee with the other Dr. Miller and learned about poly-aspartic acid hydrolases (PAAHs). Jake then spent his senior year working on a collaboration with other Dr. Miller on that project. Jake was also one of the founding members of the ASBMB student organization at Truman State. He graduated from Truman with a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in May 2022. Jake now works in industry as a bioanalytical chemist.
Fun Fact. Jake Collins is known around the lab as “Jake Collins Swag” because of his pre-Truman e-mail username jakecollinswg.
Fun Fact 2. Jake missed most research group meetings his senior year because they conflicted with pool night at a local establishment.