David Williams

PUBLICATIONS

1. Williams DEJ, King K, Jackson R, et al. PRMT1 Modulates Alternative Splicing to Enhance HPV18 mRNA Stability and Promote the Establishment of Infection. BioRXiv September 28, 2024:2024.09.26.614592. doi:10.1101/2024.09.26.614592

2. Bedard MC, Chihanga T, Carlile A, Jackson R, Brusadelli MG, Lee D, VonHandorf A, Rochman M, Dexheimer PJ, Chalmers J, Nuovo G, Lehn M, Williams DEJ, Kulkarni A, Carey M, Jackson A, Billingsley C, Tang A, Zender C, Patil Y, Wise-Draper TM, Herzog TJ, Ferris RL, Kendler A, Aronow BJ, Kofron M, Rothenberg ME, Weirauch MT, Van Doorslaer K, Wikenheiser-Brokamp KA, Lambert PF, Adam M, Steven Potter S, Wells SI. Single cell transcriptomic analysis of HPV16-infected epithelium identifies a keratinocyte subpopulation implicated in cancer. Nat Commun. 2023 Apr 8;14(1):1975. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-37377-0. 

3. Williams D, Wu W-L, Grotefend C, Radic V, Chung C, et al. (2014) IFITM3 Polymorphism rs12252-C Restricts Influenza A Viruses. PLoS ONE. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0110096.

4. Alpert, Heyer, Williams, Harvey, Greenough, et al. (2012) A Novel Assay for Antibody-Dependent Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity against HIV-1- or SIV-Infected Cells Reveals Incomplete Overlap with Antibodies Measured by Neutralization and Binding Assays. Journal of Virology. doi:10.1128/JVI.01650-12.

 

WORK EXPERIENCE

Staff Research Associate III, University of California San Francisco                            2014-2017        

Project: Modeling Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) via Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC) to Hematopoietic Stem Cell (HSC) differentiation assay.

Project goal: Test the effects of novel SCID associated alleles by developing an assay to differentiated iPSC to HSC in both healthy and immunologically impaired genetic backgrounds.

My role: I planned and executed the bench experiments (iPSC culture, CRISPR editing, Flow cytometry, in vitro HSC to myelocyte differentiation culture, in vitro HSC to lymphocyte differentiation culture, etc), analyzed the raw data, ran statistical analysis, maintained qPCR thermocycler quality control, wrote an IRB for umbilical cord blood collection, maintained cord blood sample database. 

Advisor: Jennifer Puck, MD., Professor of Immunology and Pediatrics, The University of California San Francisco

 

Staff Research Associate I, University of California Riverside                                      2012-2013        

Project: Classify the effects of N-terminal truncation mutations of the IFITM family of innate

immune proteins to explore the clinical significance of the rs-12252-C polymorphisms during influenza A pandemics

Project goal: Understand how genetic variants in innate immune proteins (the single nucleotide polymorphism rs-12252-C) affect the susceptibility of different populations to Influenza A infection.

My role: I planned and executed the bench experiments (tissue culture, qPCR, Western Blot, Immunofluorescence, Flow cytometry, etc), analyzed the raw data, ran statistical analysis, and drafted the manuscript. I was the chemical safety officer for the lab and maintained the Flow cytometer quality control. I supervised undergraduate and rotating graduate students. 

Advisor: I-Chueh Huang M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Cell biology, The University of California Riverside

 

Staff Research Associate I, Harvard Medical School                                                    2011-2012        

Project I goal: Evaluate the efficacy of VSV psuedotyped single cycle Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) as an anti-lentiviral vaccine approach in Rhesus Macaques.

Project II goal: Screen serum samples for anti-HIV and anti-SIV Antibodies capable of eliciting Antibody Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity.

My role: I schedule collection of, processed, catalogued, and analyzed blood samples to quantify T/B/NK counts (Ficoll gradient and Flow cytometry), viral load (qPCR), anti-SIV IgG concentration (ELISA), and SIV specific T cell specificity (Flow cytometry & ELISPOT). I analyze serum for ADCC inducing IgG using in house developed chemiluminescent NK cell v Target cell assay. 

Advisor: David Evans, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School

PRESENTATIONS

Oct 2022 Cancer Biology Training Consortium (CABTRAC) 2022 Annual Retreat, USA

Investigating the molecular mechanisms of oncogenic HPV infection through tissue culture modeling and single cell transcriptomics.

Williams DEJ, Banka A, Jackson R, King K, Van Doorslaer K

Award: UArizona Cancer Center’s Office of Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC) Travel Funding ($1500)

 

Sept 2022 Tim & Diane Bowden Research Symposium 2022-2023, University of Arizona, USA

Williams DEJ, King K, Banka A, Jackson R, Van Doorslaer K

Investigating Human Papillomavirus host pathogen interactions with primary cervical keratinocytes through single cell RNA sequencing.

 

Jul 2022 DNA Tumour Virus Meeting 2022, Cambridge University, UK

Williams DEJ, Banka A, Jackson R, King K, Van Doorslaer K

Single Cell mRNA Sequencing Identifies Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 1 as a Host Factor that Promotes HPV Infection

Award: UArizona Cancer Center’s Office of Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC) Travel Award ($1000)

Award: Herbert E Carter Travel Award University of Arizona Graduate College ($600)

 

Jul 2022 DNA Tumour Virus Meeting 2022, Cambridge University, UK

Jackson R, Rajadhyaksha EV, Williams DEJ, Flores CE, Banka A, Van Doorslaer K

Single-cell transcriptomics of HPV16’s productive lifecycle in 3D oral epithelia. 

 

Jul 2022 DNA Tumour Virus Meeting 2022, Cambridge University, UK

Banka A, Williams DEJ, Jackson R, Van Doorslaer K

Single cell transcriptomic analysis of primary human cervical keratinocytes following HPV18 infection.

 

May 2022 College of Medicine Tucson Research Day 2022, University of Arizona, USA,

Williams DEJ, Banka A, Jackson R, King K, Van Doorslaer K

Single Cell Sequencing Identifies Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 1 as a Regulator of Persistent HPV Infection in Primary Cervical Keratinocyte

 

Apr 2022 Joint Biology Research Retreat 2021-2022, University of Arizona, USA,

Williams DEJ, Banka A, Jackson R, King K, Van Doorslaer K

Identification of Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 1 as a Regulator of Persistent HPV Infection Through Single Cell Sequencing

Award: 1st Place Talk Award

 

Apr 2022 Southwest Regional American Society for Microbiology 2022, Arizona State University, USA

Williams DEJ, Banka A, Jackson R, King K, Van Doorslaer K

Single Cell Sequencing Identifies Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 1 as a Regulator of Persistent HPV Infection

 

Apr 2022 Southwest Regional American Society for Microbiology 2022, Arizona State University, USA

Jackson R, Rajadhyaksha EV, Flores CE, Williams D, Van Doorslaer K

Deciphering HPV16’s productive lifecycle in stratified squamous oral epithelia. 

 

Mar 2022 Tim & Diane Bowden Research Symposium 2021-2022, University of Arizona, USA

Williams DEJ, Banka A, Jackson R, King K, Van Doorslaer K

Single Cell Sequencing Identifies a Role for Arginine Methylation in Persistent HPV Infection

 

Mar 2022 17th Annual Frontiers in Immunobiology & Immunopathogenesis Symposium. 

University of Arizona USA.

Jackson R, Rajadhyaksha EV, Flores CE, Williams DEJ, Van Doorslaer K

HPV16’s differentiation-dependent viral lifecycle in 3D oral epithelia. 

 

Feb 2022 17th Frontiers in Immunobiology & Immunopathogenesis Symposium 2022, University of Arizona, USA

Williams DEJ, Banka A, Jackson R, King K, Van Doorslaer K

Single Cell Sequencing Identifies a Role for Arginine Methylation in HPV Infection

 

Nov 2021 International Papillomavirus Conference 2021, International Papillomavirus Society, Canada,

Williams DEJ, King K, Jackson R, Van Doorslaer K

Single-cell Transcriptomic Analysis of Primary Cervical Keratinocytes Following HPV18 Infection Identifies Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 1 as a Regulator of HPV Gene Expression 

Award: Best Talk: Basic Sciences Track

 

Nov 2021 University of Arizona Cancer Center Scientific Retreat 2021, University of Arizona, USA,

Williams DEJ, King K, Jackson R, Van Doorslaer K

Primary Keratinocyte HPV Infection Model Identifies a Role for Arginine Methylation in Persistent Infection 

 

Aug 2021 Cancer Biology: Past Present and Future 2021, University of Arizona, USA,

Williams DEJ, King K, Jackson R, Rodriguez A, Van Doorslaer K

Single Cell Sequencing Identifies a Role for Arginine Methylation in Persistent HPV Infection

Award: 1st Place Poster Award

 

Aug 2021 Cancer Biology: Past Present and Future 2021, University of Arizona, USA,

Jackson R, Rajadhyaksha EV, Williams DEJ, King K, Van Doorslaer K

Deciphering HPV infection in lab-grown 3D tissues. 

 

May 2021 College of Medicine Tucson Research Day 2021, University of Arizona, USA,

Williams DEJ, King K, Jackson R, Rodriguez A, Van Doorslaer K

Role of PRMT-1 in Persistent HPV Infection

 

Apr 2021 Tim & Diane Bowden Research Symposium 2021, University of Arizona, USA,

Williams DEJ, King K, Jackson R, Rodriguez A, Van Doorslaer K

Single Cell Sequencing Identifies a Role for Arginine Methylation in Persistent HPV Infection

 

Apr 2021 Discover BIO5: Research to Innovation Showcase University of Arizona, USA,

Jackson R, Williams D, Łaniewski P, McKenzie R, King K, Herbst-Kralovetz MM, Van Doorslaer K. Deciphering HPV infection in lab-grown 3D tissues. Discover BIO5: Research to Innovation Showcase. 

 

Dec 2020 American Physician Scientists Association (APSA) West Regional Meeting 2020, University of Arizona, USA,

Williams DEJ, King K, Jackson R, Van Doorslaer K

Single Cell Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Early Events of Oncogenic HPV Infection

 

Mar 2020 15th Frontiers in Immunobiology & Immunopathogenesis Symposium 2020, University of Arizona, USA, 

Williams DEJ, King K, Jackson R, Van Doorslaer K

Modeling Human Papillomavirus oncogenesis: from infection to transformation

Award: 1st Place Poster Award

 

Dec 2019 Tumor Evolution Bootcamp 2019, Arizona State University, USA,

Williams DEJ, King K, Jackson R, Van Doorslaer K

Modeling Human Papillomavirus oncogenesis: from infection to transformation

Arizona Cancer Evolution Center Bootcamp Registration Grant

Award: 1st Place Poster Award