Williams Lab - Latest News
Faculty Recognition:
- Dr. Williams is the recipient of a 2022-23 "Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring Award" from the UCLA Graduate Division.
David Williams, PhD., second from left, with three of his postdoctoral researchers, Antonio Paniagua, left, PhD, Nan Hultgren, PhD, and Roni Hazim, PhD, far right.
Recent review:
- 2020, “The Cell Biology of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium”, Progress in Retinal and Eye Research. A comprehensive review of the RPE. doi.org/10.1016/j.preteyeres.2020.100846
Most recent key research papers:
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2023, Spatiotemporal live-cell analysis of photoreceptor outer segment membrane ingestion by the retinal pigment epithelium reveals actin-regulated scission. Journal of Neuroscience, 43:2653-2664. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1726-22.2023
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2022, Vitamin B3, nicotinamide, enhances mitochondrial metabolism to promote differentiation of the retinal pigment epithelium. Journal of Biological Chemistry 298:102286. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102286
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2021, Comparison of ciliary targeting of two rhodopsin-like GPCRs: role of C-terminal localization sequences in relation to cilium type. Journal of Neuroscience, 41:7514-7531. Highlighted as one of the Journal of Neuroscience Editorial Board’s top 10 papers for 2021. doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0357-21.2021
Postdoctorate Awards:
- 2023-2028, Roni Hazim, NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Grant Award
- 2023, Roni Hazim, UCLA Department of Ophthalmology 2023 Excellence in Research Award
- 2021-23, Antonio Paniagua, Bright Focus Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship and Award
- 2020-23, Nan Hultgren, NIH F32 Postdoctoral Fellowship
- 2019-20, Nan Hultgren, UPLIFT Postdoctoral Fellowship
- 2016-19, Abhi Chadha, NIH F32 Postdoctoral Fellowship
- 2015, Stefanie Volland, FASEB vision meeting, best presentation by a young investigator
Graduate Student Awards:
- 2021-24, Gil Torten, NIH T32 Training Grant Predoctoral Award
- 2016-18, Roni Hazim, NIH F31 Predoctoral Fellowship
Travel Fellowships – Graduate Students and Postdoctorates:
- 2023, Simona Torriano, International Society for Eye Research Travel Fellowship
- 2021, Gil Torten, ARVO Travel Fellowship
- 2020, Abhi Chadha, ARVO Travel Fellowship
- 2018, Ankita Umapathy, Retina Degeneration International Symposium
- 2018, Ankita Umapathy, International Society for Eye Research Travel Fellowship
- 2016, Stefanie Volland, Retina Degeneration International Symposium
- 2016, Stefanie Volland, International Society for Eye Research Travel Fellowship
- 2014, Roni Hazim, Retina Degeneration International Symposium
Undergraduate Student Research Awards:
- 2020, Harjas Sabharwal, Dean’s Life Science Award
- 2020, Tianli Zhou, UCLA Undergraduate Research Scholars Program Award
- 2020, Harjas Sabharwal, Amgen Scholar Award
- 2019, Sonia Bustos Barocio, UCLA McNair Research Scholar Award
- 2019, Harjas Sabharwal, UCLA Neuroscience Scholar Award
- 2018, Natella Baliaouri, UCLA Dean's Prize
- 2017, Madeline Tomlinson, UCLA Undergraduate Research Scholars Program Award
- 2016, Elain Tram, Brown University, Brown LINK Award for Summer Internship
Recent Awards to Dr Williams:
- 2022, The Endre A. Balazs Prize for eye research, International Society of Eye Research
- 2022, UCLA Postdoctoral Mentoring Award
- 2021, UCLA Undergraduate Research Faculty Mentor Award