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David Williams Laboratory

Retinal Cell Biology

Dr. David Williams

David S. Williams, Ph.D.

Professor

Karl Kirchgessner Foundation Chair in Vision Science

Departments of Ophthalmology and Neurobiology

Director, Microscopy and Image Analysis Core

Jules Stein Eye Institute

dswilliams@ucla.edu
Faculty Profile
Laboratory WebsiteORCID Profile

The Williams laboratory studies dynamic cellular processes in photoreceptor and RPE cells, with the aim of understanding basic cellular functions within these most highly specialized cells. Emphasis is on using advanced microscopy methods, including high-speed live-cell imaging and 3-D electron microscopy.

Current Research Areas:

  • The delivery of opsin to the photoreceptor cilium and membrane shaping to form the disk membranes the photoreceptor outer segment.
  • RPE cell biology, especially the motility and interactions of organelles, such as mitochondria, melanosomes, phagosomes and endolysosomes.
  • Cell metabolism in relation to RPE cell differentiation.
  • Retinal degeneration in Usher syndrome, involving the differentiation of patient-derived iPSCs into retinal cells, studies of MYO7A, and strategies for treatments via gene therapy.
  • Mechanisms of other retinal degenerations, including choroideremia and macular degeneration.

By studying fundamental cellular processes that are essential for photoreceptor and RPE cell function, the lab's research is advancing general cell biological principles. It also provides an understanding of how defects in these processes lead to retinal degeneration. This knowledge is critical for developing treatments for inherited retinal diseases.

Recent Publications

Collaborative role of two distinct cilium-specific cytoskeletal systems in driving Hedgehog-responsive transcription factor trafficking

David S. Williams, Radhika Subramanian, Pei-I Ku, Jamuna S Sreeja, Abhishek Chadha, Martin F Engelke

Science Advances (2025)

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Machine learning-based 3D segmentation of mitochondria in polarized epithelial cells

Nan W. Hultgren, Tianli Zhou, David S. Williams

Mitochondrion (2024)

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Cones and cone pathways remain functional in advanced retinal degeneration

Erika M. Ellis, Antonio E. Paniagua, Miranda L. Scalabrino, Mishek Thapa, Jay Rathinavelu, Yuekan Jiao, David S. Williams, Greg D. Field, Gordon L. Fain, Alapakkam P. Sampath

Current Biology (2023)

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Multistep peripherin-2/rds self-assembly drives membrane curvature for outer segment disk architecture and photoreceptor viability

Michelle L. Milstein, Breyanna L. Cavanaugh, Nicole M. Roussey, Stefanie Volland, David S. Williams, Andrew F. X. Goldberg

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2020)

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Quantification of cristae architecture reveals time-dependent characteristics of individual mitochondria

Mayuko Segawa, Dane M Wolf, Nan W Hultgren, David S Williams, Alexander M van der Bliek, David B Shackelford, Marc Liesa, Orian S Shirihai

Life Science Alliance (2020)

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Microtubule motor transport in the delivery of melanosomes to the actin-rich apical domain of the retinal pigment epithelium

Mei Jiang, Antonio E. Paniagua, Stefanie Volland, Hongxing Wang, Adarsh Balaji, David G. Li, Vanda S. Lopes, Barry L. Burgess, David S. Williams

Journal of Cell Science (2020)

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The route of the visual receptor rhodopsin along the cilium

Abhishek Chadha, Stefanie Volland, Natella V. Baliaouri, Elaine M. Tran, David S. Williams

Journal of Cell Science (2019)

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Defective phagosome motility and degradation in cell nonautonomous RPE pathogenesis of a dominant macular degeneration

Julian Esteve-Rudd, Roni A. Hazim, Tanja Diemer, Antonio E. Paniagua, Stefanie Volland, Ankita Umapathy, David S. Williams

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2018)

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