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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 Website

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.

Selected Publications

Productive infection of the retinal pigment epithelium by SARS-CoV-2: Initial effects and consideration of long-term consequences

Hultgren NW, Petcherski A, Torriano S, Komirisetty R, Sharma M, Zhou T, Burgess BL, Ngo J, Osto C, Shabane B, Shirihai OS, Kelesidis T, Williams DS

PNAS Nexus (2025)

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Spatiotemporal live-cell analysis of photoreceptor outer segment membrane ingestion by the retinal pigment epithelium reveals actin-regulated scission

Umapathy A, Torten G, Paniagua, AE, Chung J, Tomlinson M, Lim C, Williams DS

Journal of Neuroscience (2023)

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The cell biology of the retinal pigment epithelium

Lakkaraju A, Umapathy A, Tan LX, Daniele L, Philp NJ, Boesze-Battaglia K, Williams DS

Progress in Retina and Eye Research (2020)

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Microtubule motors transport phagosomes in the RPE, and lack of KLC1 leads to AMD-like pathogenesis

Jiang M, Esteve-Rudd J, Lopes VS, Diemer T, Lillo C, Rump A, Williams DS

Journal of Cell Biology (2015)

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Three-dimensional organization of nascent rod outer segment disk membranes

Volland S, Hughes LC, Kong C, Burgess BL, Linberg KA, Luna G, Zhou AH, Fisher SK, Williams DS

Proceedings of the National Academy Sciences (2015)

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