Ophthalmology

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.
williams-team-recognition

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:

Most recent key research papers:

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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