View Annual Report - Jules Stein Eye Institute

David s. Williams, PhD
Jules and Doris Stein Research to Prevent Blindness
Professor of Ophthalmology
Professor of Neurobiology
Member of the Jules Stein Eye Institute
ReseaRch summaRy
Cell Biology of the Retina and
Inherited Retinal Disease
Dr. Williams’ laboratory focuses on the cell biology of
photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium cells.
His group is especially interested in proteins that func-
tion in transport and compartmentalization within these
cells. These proteins include those that underlie Usher
syndrome. A translational area of his research involves
gene therapy experiments aimed at preventing the
blindness that ensues from Usher syndrome type 1B.
66 Faculty | Williams
Public Service
Scientific Advisory Board Member,
Foundation Fighting Blindness
Executive Board Member, Sustainability Council of
New Zealand
Committee Member, ARVO/International Society for
Ocular Cell Biology
Associate Editor, Visual Neuroscience
Research Grants
National Eye Institute: Retinal Cell Biology of Myosin VIIA,
7/1/09–6/30/14
National Eye Institute, ARRA Administrative Supplement:
Kinesin in Photoreceptor Cells, 9/30/09–9/29/12
National Neurovision Research Institute, Foundation
Fighting Blindness: Wynn-Gund Translational Research
Acceleration Program Award: MY07A Gene Therapy for
Usher 1B, 7/1/08–6/30/13
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine: Development
of a Stem Cell-Based Transplantation Strategy for Treating
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (Principal Investigator:
Gabriel H. Travis, MD, with other investigators),
11/1/09–10/31/12