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Robert W. Williams

Office Address:
Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
University of Tennessee
Health Science Center
855 Monroe Avenue
Memphis  TN  38163
(901) 448-7050   FAX ...-7193
rwilliam@nb.utmem.edu
(or s2g2@mycingular.blackberry.net)  

www.genenetwork.org
www.nervenet.org
www.mbl.org
www.ibangs.org
www.complextrait.org

DEGREES

Ph.D. (1983) Physiology, University of California, Davis
B.A. (1975) Psychobiology, University of California, Santa Cruz

INTERESTS

• Systems genetics, complex trait analysis, and functional genomics
• Control of gene expression
• Genetics of CNS diseases and addiction
• Visual system structure, function, and development
• Advanced methods in collaborative research and data interchange

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2001–present William and Dorothy Dunavant Chair of Excellence in Developmental Genetics: Department of Pediatrics (2nd appointment), University of Tennessee
2000–present Codirector: Center of Genomics and Bioinformatics, University of Tennessee
1997–present Professor: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Tennessee Health Science Center (primary)
2001–present Professor: Department of Pediatrics
2001–present Member: Feinstone Center for Genomic Research, University of Memphis
1992–1997 Associate Professor: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Tennessee
1989–1992 Assistant Professor: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Tennessee
1986–1989 Assistant Professor: Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Neuroanatomy
1985–1986 Associate Research Scientist: Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Neuroanatomy (P. Rakic, mentor)
1984–1989  Instructor, Neuroanatomy laboratory: Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Neuroanatomy
1983–1985  Postdoctoral fellow: Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Neuroanatomy, (P. Rakic, mentor)
1982–1983 Assistant Research Physiologist: University of California, Davis
1982  Instructor: University of California, Davis
1979–1982 National Institutes of Health Trainee: University of California, Davis, (L.M. Chalupa, thesis advisor)
1978–1981 Teaching Assistant and Teaching Associate: Animal Physiology and Psychology, University of California, Davis

Professional SOCIETIES

Society for Neuroscience (Chair, Neuroinformatics Committee)
Complex Trait Consortium (founder and director, 2001–present)
Research Society on Alcoholism (member)
Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (member)
International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society (president 2005)
International Mammalian Genome Society (member)
Behavioural Neurogenetics Initiative (member)
IEEE (member)

Grants and Fellowships

2001–present Principal Investigator: National Institutes of Health. “INIA: Complex Trait Analysis of Alcohol-Stress Interactions” U01AA13499. TDC approx. $1.68M over 5 years  (02.01.02–12.31.06).
2001–present Principal Investigator: National Institutes of Health. “INIA: Genotyping Core”  1U24AA13513. TDC ~$1.68 M over 5 years (01.01.02–12.30.06; renewal in progress)
2005–present Coinvestigator, Mouse Biomedical Informatics Research Network (BIRN), National Institutes of Health R24 RR021760. National Center for Research Resources, TDC ~$1.0 M over 5 years (04.01.05–03.31.09)
2006–2007 Principal Investigator: Huntingtin Transcriptome Analysis, High Q Foundation, $466,800 over 1 year (02-01-06 to 01-31-07)
2001–present Principal Investigator: INIA: Genotyping Core, National Institutes of Health 1U24AA13513. TDC ~$600,000 over 5 years (01.01.02–12.30.06)
2004–present Coinvestigator: Integrative Genetics of Cancer Susceptibility, NCI 1U01CA105417. TDC $600,000 over 5 years (04.01.04–03.31.2009, with KF Manly and DW Threadgill, 2%)
2000–present Principal Investigator: Informatics Center for Mouse Neurogenetics, National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, Human Brain Project 2P20-DA21131, 1P20-MH62009, and IBN-0003982. TDC ~$5.4 M over 5 years (7.1.00–8.30.10, 32%)
2005–2007 Coinvestigator: Development of Advanced Tools for Diagnosis and Triaging Individuals Exposed to Select Pathogens, DOD/US W81XHW-05-01-0227
2005–2010 Coinvestigator: Dispersion Patterns for Retinal Neuroblasts, NEI R01EY011087-07A1. (B Reese, PI; RW Williams, coinvestigator)
2004–present Consultant: Conti Center, John Csernanski PI, Jim Cheverud, PI Project 5. Genetics of Schizophrenia-Related Traits in Mice, Washington University
2004–2007 External Advisory Board: P20 Exploratory Transdisciplinary Imaging Genetics Center and Function BIRN. (Steve Potkin, PI, Univ of California, Irvine)
2000–2004 Principal Investigator: National Institutes of Health. “Genetic and Epigenetic Control of Eye Growth”  R01 EY12991. TDC $200,00 year 1, $800,000 all years (9.1.00–7.31.04, 30%).
1999–2002 Principal Investigator: National Institutes of Health. “Biometric and Functional Studies of the Eye and Retina” R01 EY13070. TDC $150,000 year 1, $444,381 all years  (12.01.99–11.30.02 25%).
2001 Principal Investigator: NIHLB Mammalian Genotyping Service. "High Resolution QTL Mapping in Mice" (7.1.01). Grant funds 350,000 genotypes.
2001 Collaborator: National Institutes of Health. "Sleep Patterns During Infectious Disease" NL70522. TDC $225,00 year 1, $1.11M all years (9.19.01–7.31.05; PI Linda Toth, no funded effort).
2000–present Eye Domain coinvestigator: National Institutes of Health. “Targeted Mutagenesis of the Mouse Genome and Neural Phenotypes” U01-MH61971, TDC, $2,664,000/year (D. Goldowitz, PI, M. Jablonski, domain PI) (funding from 7.1.00–6.30.05, RW 5%).
2000 Principal Investigator: NIHLB Mammalian Genotyping Service. "An Advanced Intercross for Mapping Multigenic Morphometric Traits in Mice: A Community QTL Mapping Resource" (1.1.00). Grant funded ~190,000 genotypes.
1996–2000 Principal Investigator: National Institutes of Health. “Genetic Control of Neuron Populations” R01 NS35485. TDC ~$733,000 all years (07.1.96 to 07.31.00, 20%).
1987–2000 Principal Investigator: National Institutes of Health. “Growth of Optic Nerve Fibers” R01 EY06627-10. TDC, $437,500 (12.1.95 to 05.30.00).
1991–1994 Principal Investigator: National Institutes of Health. “Development and Clonal Structure of the Mammalian Retina” R01 EY 08868–03. TDC, $260,518
1992–1996 Co-Principal Investigator: National Institutes of Health. “Genetic Basis of Retinal Development” R01 EY09586-03. P.I, Dan Goldowitz, TDC, $505,991 (4.1.92 to 3.31.96).

Awards

Loren D. Carlson Prize in Physiology, 1982-83
Fellow Award, Winter Conference on Brain Research, 1987
Excellence in Teaching Award, 1995
Distinguished Scientist Award, 2007, International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society

Patents

Tissue Analyzer: Inventors Robert W. Williams, Pasko Rakic, U.S. Patent 4,932,044; filed November 4, 1988; issued June 5, 1990. See http://www.patents.ibm.com/claims?patent_number=4932044
Method for ultra-high resolution mapping of genes and determination of genetic networks among genes underlying phenotypic traits: Inventors David W. Threadgill (Chapel Hill NC) and Robert W. Williams (Memphis TN), U.S. Patent Application (Preliminary) filed December 1, 2000.
Method for determining sensitivity to environmental toxins and susceptibility to Parkinson’s disease. Inventors: Richard Smeyne (Memphis TN) and Robert W. Williams (Memphis TN). U.S. Patent Application (Preliminary), to be filed.
Invention Disclosure: P2P-R cooperates with the MAD2, BUB3 and p55CDC/cdc20 mitotic checkpoint-associated proteins. Inventors: Dr. Robert E. Scott, and Robert W. Williams, Memphis TN)

Symposia, Conferences, Committees

2007 Lead organizer: PubMed Plus Conference, sponsored by the SfN, David Van Essen (President), St. Louis, June 14, 16
2007 Lead organizer: International Neuroscience Coordinating Facility Workshop on Mouse and Rat Brain Atlasing Systems. Feb 13 14, Karolinska Institute, Stolkholm
2006 Multistrain Mouse Testing Strategy Advisory Working Group, NIEHS, Research Triangle Park, July 21 (with John Pritchard)
2006 Databasing the Brain, European Union workshop, Oslo, Norway, June 25–27
2006 Symposium honoring Dr. Lorraine Flaherty, Genomics Institute, Wadsworth Center, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, June 19
2006 Neurofederatie Keynote Lecture, Endo-Neuro-Psychopharmacology (ENP) annual meeting, Amsterdam, June 7
2006 Genes Meet Behavior, a joint symposium of the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society and International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society, Whistler, Canada, May 24
2006 Gordon Research Conference on Genes and Behavior, Ventura, Feb 11–17
2006 Blueprint LINC team member, NIH, Bethesda, March 30–31
2005 Human Brain Project Special Interest Social, presentation, SfN annual meeting, Washington, Nov 14
2005 German Genetics Society, Genetics of Infection, symposium presentation, Braunschweig, Germany, Sept 22
2005 Opening lecture, 4th Annual CTC meeting, Groningen, Holland, June 27
2005 Mouse Models of Human Cancer Consortium Glioblastoma Meeting, St. Louis, June 16–18
2005 International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society annual meeting, Sitges, Spain, June 9–13
2005 GENSAT Gene Selection Advisory Meeting, Bethesda, June 7
2005 High Q Foundation Meeting on Microarrays and Discovery of Therapeutic Targets for Huntington’s Disease, May 19, New York
2005 2nd Annual Experimental Neurogenetics of the Mouse workshop, faculty member, Memphis, May 16-24
2005 Plenary lecture, Data Sharing in the Age of Discovery Science, Human Brain Project, NIH, Natcher Center, April 25
2005 Collaborative Cross Organizing Committee meeting, ORNL, March 24–25
2005 Gordon Research Conference on Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Ventura, Feb 19–24
2005 Models of Human Cancer Consortium Committee Meeting, Vanderbilt, Jan 19–21
2005 1st International Imaging Genetics Conference, UC Irvine, Jan 17
2004 NIEHS Toxicogenomics Research Consortium meeting, Chapel Hill, Dec 6–8
2004 Mouse Resources Roundtable Conference, The Jackson Laboratory, Nov 19–21
2004 Biomedical Informatics Research Network (BIRN) Symposium speaker, Boston, Oct 13
2004 Co-organizer, 3rd Annual Complex Trait Consortium meeting, Bar Harbor, July 6–9
2004 Organizer, 10th International Summer School on Behavioral Neurogenetics (Memphis TN, August 8–15
2003 Mouse Atlas Workshop (NIMH Office of Neuroinformatics), Nov 18, 2003
2003 Behavior Genetics Association Symposium: Chicago June 27
2003 Mouse Initiatives V: Genomics of Complex System in Biomedical Research, July 31–Aug 2, www.jax.org/courses/mi5_03.html
2003 Joint Statistics Meeting symposium speaker: San Francisco, Aug 4 to 6.
2003 Society for Neuroscience Brain Information Group member
2003 Keynote: 9th International Summer School on Behavioral Neurogenetics, Aug 6–9. Toulouse, France
2002 National Cancer Institute: Mouse Models of Human Cancers Consortium- Roundtable, Newport Beach CA, Dec 11–13.
2002 Lecturer: NIDA Addiction Studies Workshop for Journalist (Tuscon AZ, Dec 8)
2003 Spring Brain Conference Plenary Session organizer: Identifying Genes Controlling Brain Structure and Behavior using Complex Trait Analysis, Sedona, March 12–15
2002 Chair:  Bioinformatics 2002, Society for Neuroscience Short Course, Orlando FL, Nov 2
2002 Instructor: 8th International Summer School on Behavioral Neurogenetics, Aug 5–9. Worcester MA.
2001 Chair: International Complex Trait Consortium, Edinburgh, Oct.23, 2001 and Memphis, May2.
2001 Sponsor and organizing committee: 4th Annual Meeting: International Behavioral and Neural Genetics Society, San Diego, Nov. 8–9
2001 Workshop presentation: South-East Regional Meeting of the Society of Developmental Biology, Montreat NC, May 24
2001 Invited speaker: Neuroinformatics Faces Functional Genomics symposium: Natcher Building: Bethesda MD, May 22: Tools for Collaborative Analysis of Complex Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Traits.
2000 Invited speaker: NIAAA-sponsored QTL meeting: Washington DC (Dec 1; organized by Robert Karp)
2000 Invited participant: Human Brain Project: Neuroinformatics Satellite Symposium. New Orleans (Nov 4,; presentation by GD Rosen)
1999 Co-organizer: Symposium on QTL Mapping, Behavior Genetics Association, Vancouver, Canada, July
1999 Co-organizer and sponsor: The Molecular Biology/Molecular Genetics of the Visual System, Center for Vision Research Memphis TN (Mar 26)
1999 Participant: Gordon Research Conference in Quantitative Genetics. Ventura, CA (Feb 14–19)
1998 Course Lecturer: Short Course in Quantitative Neuroanatomy. Society for Neuroscience, Los Angeles CA
1998 Chairman: American Association of Anatomists: Experimental Biology 98: Experimental Biology: Symposium on Quantitative Neurobiology and the Human Brain Project
1996 Chairman: Mouse Chromosome 7 Committee: International Mammalian Genome Society
1998 Presentation: Chautauqua Short Course for college teachers in neuroscience
1997 Chairman: American Association of Anatomists: Experimental Biology 97: Mini-symposium on Quantitative Neurobiology
1994 Co-chairman: Mouse Chromosome 7 Committee: International Mammalian Genome Society (1994–1996)
1989 Organizer: Winter Brain Conference Workshop, “Different Strategies of Brain Development,” Co-organized with Karl Herrup. Jan. 1989
1996 Co-organizer: Symposium on Cortical Development, Center for Neuroscience, University of Tennessee, June 1996
1991 Participant: The Jackson Laboratory,  “Short Course in Medical and Experimental Mammalian Genetics ” Aug. 1991
1985 Participant: Gordon Research Conference, “Central Nervous System,” Tilton School, New Hampshire, June 1985
1983 Participant: The Neuroscience Institute, “Molecular Bases of Neuronal Development,” The Salk Institute, October 1983
1981 Participant: NATO Advanced Studies Institute, “Formation of Neuronal Connections,” Varenna, Italy, May 1981

Visiting Scientist

2007-2008 Visiting Professor, University of Utrech (Prestige MSc Neuroscience Program (hosted by Marten Kas)
2006 University of California, San Diego, March (Dr. Mark Ellisman)
2000–2002 Advisory Professor, Fudan University, Shanghai
2000–present Collaborator, with Profs Tan and Gu, Nantong Medical College,
1997 Harvard University, Beth Israel Hospital, Dr. Glenn Rosen, June 1997
1996 The California Institute of Technology, Drs. John Allman and Scott Fraser, Aug. 1996
1993 The Jackson Laboratory, Dr. Muriel Davisson, July 1993

Scientific Advisory Boards

2006–2008 Scientific Advisory Board, Institute Clinique de la Souris, Strasbourg, France (Pierre Chambon, Johan Auwerx, and colleagues)
2006–2007 US Representative and advisory board member, International Neuroinformatics Coordinating Facility
2004–2007 Portland Alcohol Research Center, VAMC, Portland
2004–2006 Consultant, Exploratory Transdisciplinary Imaging Genetics Center (Steven Potkin, PI, UCI)
2001–2007 Genome Explorations Inc.

Invited Seminars and Lectures (Incomplete List)

Organizer: PubMed Plus Conference (sponsored by the Society for Neuroscience), Washington University 2007
Organizer: 1st International Neuroscience Coordinating Facility Workshop on Mouse and Rat Brain Digital Atlasing Systems, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, Feb 13-14, 2007
Panelist: Society for Scholarly Publishing: Washington DC, Nov 13, 2007
Application of Pharmacogenomics to Drug Development and Therapy, 14th ISSX Meeting, Short Course presentation. Oct 22, 2006
IIIe cycle, Lausanne Genome Day, lecture, Lausanne Switzerland, Oct 4-5, 2006
Unveiling Genome-Wide DNA Variation in 15 Diverse Mouse Strains: NIEHS, lecture, Sept 26, 2006
West Virgina University Eye Institute, seminar; Sept 20, 2006
Route 28 Meeting Adult Neurogenesis Course, Fraueninsel, Germany, Sept 2–8, 2006
Instructor, Plant Genome Short Course, Boston, Aug 1–3, 2006
Eli Lilly Integrative Biology Research Group, Lectures, Indianapolis, June 12–13, 2006
Workshop on Systems Genetics, University of Utrecht, Netherlands, June 6, 2006
ARVO mini symposium speaker, Ft. Lauderdale, May 3, 2006
Bioinformatics Summit, Lake Barkley KY, April 22, 2006
Society for Neuroscience Chapter lecture, University of Mississippi Medical Center, April 11, 2006
SERCEB Infectious Disease Meeting, New York City, March 26–28, 2006
Cold Spring Harbor, Systems Biology lecture, March 25, 2006
Illumina Corp, La Jolla, March 15, 2006
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, weekly seminar, Feb 24, 2006
UCSB Engineering, seminar in imaging and genetics, Feb 14, 2006
University of Texas at Austin, Department of Neurobiology, Nov 28, 2005
University of Colorado, Boulder, Institute for Behavior Genetics, Oct 14, 2005
Oxford University, Wellcome Trust, July 1, 2005
Lecture, Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain, June 8, 2005
SERCEB Annual Meeting seminar, Chapel Hill, May 5, 2005
NIEHS Seminar: Systems Genetics, Research Triangle Park, May 2, 2005
VA MC Memphis Seminar, March 11, 2005
UTHSC Pathogenesis Center Chalk talk, March 2, 2005
NIDA, Molecular Anatomy: Synergy by Informatics 2, Feb 15, 2005
UTHSC Department of Pharmacology, Genetic Modulation of Transcripts, Cells, and Behavior: Or, How I learned to stop worrying and love complexity, Feb 9, 2005
St. Jude Children’s Hospital Danny Thomas Lecture Series: Genetic Variation in Transcriptional Activity, Jan 7, 2005
Vanderbilt University: Seminar in Integrative Genomics, Nov 30, 2004
Department of Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Aug 27, 2004
Groningen Universiteit, Department of Stem Cell Biology, Aug 26, 2004
Route 28 Conference, Fraueninsel, Germany, Aug 23, 2004
Czech National Academy of Science, Prague, Aug 20, 2004
IGBMC Illkirch, France, Aug 18, 2004
Tübingen Neurocolloquium, Germany, May 27, 2004
GBF Braunschweig, Germany, May 25, 2004
Max-Delbrück-Centrum, Berlin-Buch, Germany, May 24, 2004
University of Kentucky, Lexington, April 2004
MGH/MIT Harvard: Feb 25, 2004
Washington University:
Yale University, Department of Genetics, Dec 16, 2003
University of Chicago, Committee on Genetics, Dec. 2, 2003
American Society of Human Genetics symposium speaker: Nov 5, 2003
Vanderbilt University, Neuroscience: Oct 22, 2003
Nathan Kline Institute: Oct 17, 2003
Oregon Health Science symposium, Oct 9, 2003
Special lecture: 9th international summer school on behavioral neurogenetics, Toulouse, Aug 5, 2003.
Symposium at the Joint Statistics Meeting,,Aug 3, 2003, San Francisco
Mouse Initiatives V meeting, Jackson Laboratory, Aug 1, 2003
Symposium at Behavioral Genetics Association, June 26, 2003, Chicago
Purdue University: June 19, 2003
Human Brain Project, Bethesda: May 12, 2003 Natcher Center presentation: http://videocast.nih.gov/ram/brain051203.ram
Pennsylvania State University: May 2, 3, 2003: Genomics Spring Fever: Complex Genetics of Brain and Behavior
St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Feb 6, 2003: Dissecting Transcriptional Networks (Affy Memphis User Group Meeting)
University of Toronto, Mt. Sinai Hospital, Feb 4, 2003
University of Tübingen: Neurobiology of Vision, July 9­10, 2002
Wake Forrest University, Drug Addiction Workshop for Journalist, Dec 2002 (Tucson AZ)
Wadsworth Center, Albany New York, Feb 2003
University of California, Davis, Dec 2002
University of Memphis, Sept 13, 2002
Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Aug 29, 2002. The Complex Genetics of Eye and Brain Development: Gene Network Analysis using Microarrays
King’s College, London: July 7, 2002
University of Alabama, Section of Statistical Genetics, June 17, 2002
New England College of Optometry, Apr 25, 2002
University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Grand Rounds in Pediatrics, Mar 13, 2002
Southern Illinois University, School of Medicine, Mar 15, 2002
Neuroinformatics. The 35th Annual Winter Conference on Brain Research, Jan.27, 2002
New Mouse Behavioral Phenotyping Assays: Half Moon Bay CA, Dec 2001
Society for Developmental Biology, Southeast Regional Meeting, Workshop presentation, May 2001
Human Brain Project Conference, Natcher Center, NIH, May 2001
Cornell University, Department of Psychology and Dept of Neuroscience, Apr 2001
Stanford University, Apr 12, 2001
University of Alabama, Birmingham, Department of Medicine, Mar 21, 2001
MCP-Hahneman, Department of Neuroscience, Mar 14, 2001
UCLA, Neuroscience Grand Rounds, Feb 7, 2001
Shanghai Medical University (Fudan), Department of Histology and Embryology, Nov 2000
Beijing Medical University, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nov 2000
Nantong Medical College, Neuroscience Institute, Nov 2000
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Department of Genetics, Oct 23, 2000
University of Tennessee, Biomedical Engineering Joint Program, Sept 14, 2000
Cold Spring Harbor, Banbury Center, August 28, 2000
University of California, Santa Barbara, Neuroscience Research Institute, May 26, 2000. Quantitative Genetics of CNS development: View from the trailhead
State University of New York at Buffalo, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, May 8, 2000
Drexel University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nov 2, 1999
University of Michigan, Department of Genetics, Oct 5, 1999
Vanderbilt University, Vision Research Center, May 7, 1999. The genetics of brain evolution
University of California, Santa Barbara, Neuroscience Research Institute, Feb 16, 1999
Case Western Reserve University, Department of Neurosciences, Cleveland OH, Jan 21, 1999
VA Medical Center, Memphis TN, Nov 20, 1998 (New Power of Forward Genetics: Analysis of Polygenic Traits that Control Disease and Development)
Case Western Reserve University, Depts Ophthalmology and Genetics, Cleveland OH, Nov 18, 1998
Yale University, Department of Neuroanatomy, New Haven CT, July 1998
University of Southern California, Department of Anatomy & Neuro, June 1998
University of California, San Diego, Department of Neuroscience, June 1998
Mount Sinai Medical School, Department of Neuroscience, New York, NY, June 1997
Harvard University, Beth Israel Deaconess, Department of Neurology, June 1997
Pasteur Institute, Paris, France. Oct. 1996
Conference on Brain Evolution, Ithaca, NY, June 1995
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA. Nov. 1995
National Cancer Institute (Steve O'Brien) Frederick, MD, June 9, 1994
The Jackson Lab Bioinformatics Group, Bar Harbor Maine, July 1993
25th Annual Meeting of the Biomedical Engineering Society, Memphis, Oct. 24, 1993
University of Utah, Department of Biology, Salt Lake City, UT, Jan. 1989
Winter Conference for Brain Research, Snowbird, Utah, Jan. 1989
University of Texas, Houston, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Dec 1988
SUNY, Stony Brook, Department of Neurobiology, Oct 1988
Winter Conference for Brain Research, Vail, Colorado, Jan. 1987
Conference on the Development of the Vertebrate Retina, Ithaca, N.Y., June 1987
New York University, Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Oct 1986
University of Rochester, Center for Visual Sciences, Rochester, N.Y., Apr 1986
Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, Nov 1986
University of California, Davis, Department of Psychology, June 1985
Stanford University, Department of Neurobiology, June 1985
SUNY, Albany, N.Y., Department of Biological Sciences, Jan 1984

REVIEWER FOR

Anatomy and Embryology, Behavior Genetics, Brain Behavior and Evolution, Behavioral Brain Sciences, Cerebral Cortex, Current Biology, Developmental Biology, European Journal of Neuroscience, Experimental Eye Research, Gene Expression Patterns, Genesis, Genomics, Investigative Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Journal of Comparative Neurology, Journal of Heredity, Journal of Neurobiology, Journal of Neurochemistry, Journal of Neurophysiology, Journal of Neuroscience, Journal of Neuroscience Methods, Molecular Vision, Nature Genetics, Neuroscience, Optometry and Vision Research, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, Science, Visual Neuroscience, Vision Research

EDITORIAL BOARDS/COMMITEES

2005–Present Member: Executive Committee of the Collaborative Cross
2006–Present NeuroCommons Working Group (Science Commons, Creative Commons (chaired by John Wilbanks)
2006–Present Member of the NIH Blueprint Neuroinformatic Framework group (PI Dan Gardner)
2004–2005 President: International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society (executive committee from 2003–2006)
2003–2006 Society for Neuroscience: Committee on Animals in Research
2003–2006 Society for Neuroscience: Committee on Animals in Research
2003–2006 Society for Neuroscience: Committee on Animals in Research
2003–2006 Society for Neuroscience: Committee on Animals in Research
2002–present Gene, Brain and Behavior: board member
2002–present Neuroinformatics: board member
2002 Gene Expression Patterns: board member
2001–present BioMed Central  Neuroscience: core reviewer board member www.biomedcentral.com/info/biologyeditorial.asp
2001–present Behavior Genetics: board member
2000 Behavior Genetics: guest editor
1995–present Molecular Vision: board member
1993–present European Journal of Anatomy: board member

GRANT PROPOSAL REVIEWS

2007 Special Emphasis Panel, NIH IRG: Conte Center: ZMH1-ERB-S-03 (Feb 26)
2006 Review Member, NIH IRG: Neuroinformatics and Neuroimaging: ZRG1 MDCN-K51 S (June 21)
2005 ZRG1 MDCN-K (92), Neurogenetics
2004 Chair NIH ZRG1 IDM-K (04) Host Genetics of Viral Pathogenesis Mar 15, 2004
2004 21st Century Fund Review (State of Indiana)
2004 Chair NIH ZRG1 IDM-K (04) Host Genetics of Viral Pathogenesis Mar 15, 2004
2004 Chair NIH MDCN-G (55) Human Brain Project, Feb 6, 7, 2004
2003 MRC Program Review (July 2003)
2002 BISTI SS-E(51) and Human Brain Project SS-E(95), Oct 22–25, 2002
2002 MCDN Special Review panel ZRG1 SSS-P 09 S (Sept 6, 2002)
2002 NEI Special Review panel ZEY1 VSN 06 R (Aug 2002)
2002 Science Foundation Ireland reviewer (July 2002)
2002 NIH Mammalian Genetics IRG (June 2002)
2002-2003 Mammalian Genotyping Advisory Panel (Apr 2002, 2003)
2002 NIH Special Review (Feb 8, 2002)
2001 NIH Innovations in Biomedical Science Tech ZRG1 SSS-7 21 B (Nov 6, 2001)
2001 NIH BISTI Panel Reviewer ZRG1 SSS-E01 1 (July 2001, Nov 2001)
2001 NIH CSR Reviewer ZRG1FCN-3 01 BISTI (July 19, 2001)
2001 NIH Special Emphasis Panel ZRG1 SSS-R (02) (July 2, 2001)
2001 NIEHS Review Panel (Inbred Rodents) ES-01-05 (June 29, 2001)
2001 Medical Research Council (UK) Strategic Grants Reviewer
2000 Fonds voor Weterschappelijk Onderzoek - Vlaanderen (Belgian NIH)
2000 NIH VISB Study Section Ad Hoc Member (6/00)
2000 NIMH Special Emphasis Panel Reviewer (Gene Array RFA MH-00-002, 7/00)
2000 UT System-wide Advisory Panel: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Review (7/00)
1999 NIH VISC Study Section Ad Hoc Member (2/99)
1999 NIMH Center Grant Reviewer
1999 NIMH Special Emphasis Panel Reviewer ZMH1 BRB-I
1998 Department of Veterans Affairs: Merit Review Consultant
1995 Consultant to NIH VIS-B Study Section

Teaching

2007 University of Memphis, Bioinformatics. 4 x 90 minute lectures (Feb and March)
2006 The Jackson Laboratory: Short Course in Vision Research NSF Plant Microarray Short Course, instructor, Boston, Aug 1–3 Third Annual Experimental Neurogenetics of the Mouse workshop, Memphis, May 16–24, 2006
2001–present Course co-director: Neuroscience Seminar Series (NS8XX): a graduate level course, 15–20 contact hours, ~15 students/year.
2004–2006 Cold Spring Harbor, Systems Biology Short Course, March 23 2004–2006 Faculty, Annual Experimental Neurogenetics of the Mouse Workshop, 15–20 students/year (8 day short course at UTHSC and UM)
2005–present Course director: NIEHS Short Course on Systems Genetics (offered twice) at NIEHS main campus, Sept 7–8
2005–present NS 825: Graduate School, Developmental and Molecular Neurobiology lecturer (fall)
2005–present NS212: School of Medicine, Neuroscience lecturer (fall)
2005 Society for Neuroscience, Meet the Expert Series leader, Microarray analysis, SfN annual meeting, Washington, Nov 12 Memphis City Schools Middle/Secondary Science In-Service Session 15: The Human Genome, August 11 (2 sessions)
2001–present Course member and co-director: International Summer School in Behavioral Neurogenetics (Behavioral Neurogenetics Initiative). Annual course (one week, 15 to 30 grad and postdoctoral students/year)
2001–present Course co-director: Neuroscience Seminar Series (NS8XX): a graduate level course, 15–20 contact hours, ~15 students/year.
1992–present Course director: Morphological Neuroscience (NS822): a graduate level course, ~40 contact hours, ~ 8 students/year.
2003–present Lecturer: Comparative Medicine CM712, UTHSC: Mouse Genetics (graduate level)
2003–present Lecturer: Bioinformatics, University of Memphis (graduate level)
2000–2002 Lecturer and Lab: Medical Neuroanatomy (M): ~20 contact hours, Lectures in CNS development. 150 students/year.
2002–2003 Short Course director: Society of Neuroscience, Bioinformatics
2003 Course co-director: Memphis Microarray Short Course (June 4 to June 12, 2003)
2002 Lecturer: NIDA Addiction Studies Workshop for Journalist (Tuscon AZ, Dec 8)
2002 Short Course director:  UAB Birmingham: Design and Analysis of Recombinant Inbred Strain Experiments (all day course, June 18, 2002).
1998 Course Lecturer: Short Course in Quantitative Neuroanatomy. Society for Neuroscience, Los Angeles CA
1994–1996 Course director: Seminars in Neuroscience (NS821): Graduate level. 40 contact hours, 10 to 15 students per year
1995 SGAEC Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Tennessee (for NS822)
1995 Short Course in Genetic Testing: Memphis city schools service training for science high school teachers (Summer 1995). 15 high school science teachers
1994–1995 Human and Mouse Genetics: City Labs program for high school science teachers. 10 to 12 high school science teachers
1990–1996 Medical Embryology, University of Tennessee, 8 lectures on development of cardiovascular, urogenital, and gastrointestinal systems. 8 lecture hours,  ~120 first-year medical students.
1983–1989 Neuroscience-Neuroanatomy laboratory instructor, Yale University. Team-taught first-year medical students, roughly 20 contact hours, 25 students per lab.
1982 Course Director: Sensory Psychology, University of California, Davis. 25 junior and senior psychology majors.

PERSONAL

Born April, 1952, Baltimore, USA. Married to Kathryn A. Graehl (freelance editor), two sons (15 and 20).

Administrative

2001 – present Founding Director: Complex Trait Consortium
2000 – present Codirector: UT Center of Excellence in Genomics and Bioinformatics
2002 – present Member, Computing and Telecommunications Committee of the Faculty Senate (C. Russell, chair). Chair: Research Computing subcommittee.
2002 – present University of Tennessee Research Foundation Task Force Subcommittee   (T. Ballard, chair)
2001 – 2002 Section Coordinator for the Visual and Auditory Systems research section. Center for Neuroscience
1999 – present Tennessee Mouse Genome Consortium, Scientific Steering Committee
1999  – 2001 Member: Promotion and Tenure Committee, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
1999 – present Scientific Advisory Board: Tennessee Mouse Genome Consortium
1998 Chair: Promotion and Tenure Committee, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
1998 – present Member: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology Space and Research Committee
1997 – present Member: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology Advisory Council
1997 – present Member: University of Tennessee, Graduate Health Sciences Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Advisory Committee
1997 – 1999 Member: Center for Neuroscience: Graduate Student Recruitment Committee
1990 – 1997 Member: University of Tennessee, Graduate Health Science School, Policy Subcommittee
1995 – 1997 Member: University of Tennessee, Graduate Health Science School, Graduate Studies Council
1990 – 1994 Member, University of Tennessee library committee member
1990 – 1996 Member: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology: Graduate student admissions and policy committee

Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Fellows

Khyobeni Mozhui Ph.D. candidate, 2006–present (currently working toward degree)
Dennis Rice Ph.D., 1996. University of Tennessee. Dr. Rice is currently a Senior Scientist in Neurology at Lexicon Genetics, Woodlands, Texas
Richelle C. Strom Ph.D., 1999. University of Tennessee. Dr. Strom is now a Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. Ruben Adler, Johns Hopkins University
Dale Hogan, Ph.D. NRSA NEI Postdoctoral fellow, 1992–1996. Currently a Research Associate with Mark Opp, Department of Psychiatry and Behavior, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston
Guomin Zhou, M.D., Ph.D.: Research fellow, 1997–1999. G. Zhou is Chairman and Professor of Histology and Embryology at Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Lu Lu,, M.D. Research fellow, 1999–2001. Dr. Lu is an Associate Professor in Histology and Embryology at the Medical University of Nantong, China. He is also an Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
David C. Airey, Ph.D. NRSA, NEI Postdoctoral fellow, April 1999–July 2001. Dr. Airey received his Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1999. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Elaine Sanders-Bush at Vanderbilt.
Elissa J. Chesler, Ph.D Research fellow, July 2002–present.
Jeremy Perice, Ph.D. Research fellow, June 2003-present
Anand Kulkarni, M.D. Research fellow, Nov 1999–Nov 2000. Currently a physician in the Memphis area.
Siming Shou, Ph.D. Postdoctoral fellow, September 2001–2002.
Emmanuel Gilissen ,Ph.D. Postdoctoral fellow (1996–1997, with John Allman at Caltech). Emmanuel is now on the faculty of paleontology, University of the Witwassersrand, South Africa.
Kathryn Ryder M.D. dissertation, Yale University School of Medicine, 1987. Dr. Ryder is currently an assistant professor, Department of Medicine at University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Michael Borodkin M.D. dissertation, Yale University School of Medicine, 1989

Ph.D., M.S. Committees

Khyobeni Mozhui Ph.D. candidate in Neuroscience, UTHSC 2006
C. J. Jeon, Ph.D. in Neuroscience, 1992
Angela R. Howe, Ph.D. in Neuroscience, 1994
Vandana Menon, Ph.D. in Physiology, 1996
Qing Tang, Ph.D. in Anatomy and Neurobiology, June 1996
Toya H. Kimble, Ph.D. in Anatomy and Neurobiology, Jan 2003
Loren Martin, Ph.D. candidate in Anatomy and Neurobiology, Nov 2000
Kathryn Ryder M.D. MS in Epidemiology, UTHSC 2002
Alessandro Iannaccone M.D., MS in Epidemiology, UTHSC 2002
Félix Vázquez-Chona, candidate in Anatomy and Neurobiology

ORIGINAL PAPERS with citation analysis

A substantial number of these papers are available online at .
1. Williams RW, Chalupa LM (1982) Prenatal development of retinocollicular projections in the cat: An anterograde tracer transport study. Journal of Neuroscience 2:604–622 Revised and updated text at .
2. Stone, J, Rapaport DH, Williams RW, Chalupa LM (1982) Uniformity of cell distribution in the ganglion cell layer of prenatal cat retina: Implications for mechanisms of retinal development. Developmental Brain Research 2: 231–242
3. Williams RW, Bastiani MJ, Chalupa LM (1983) Loss of axons in the cat optic nerve following fetal unilateral enucleation: An electron microscopic analysis. Journal of Neuroscience 3: 133–144
4. Williams RW, Chalupa LM (1983) An analysis of axon caliber within the optic nerve of the cat: Evidence of size groupings and regional organization. Journal of Neuroscience 3: 1554–1564
5. Williams RW, Chalupa LM (1983) Development of the retinal pathway to the pretectum of the cat. Neuroscience 10: 1249–1267
6. Chalupa LM, Williams RW, Hughes MJ (1983) Visual properties of neurons in the tectorecipient zone of the cat’s lateral posterior-pulvinar complex: A comparison with the superior colliculus. Journal of Neuroscience 3: 2587–2596
7. Chalupa, LM, Williams RW (1984) Organization of the cat’s lateral geniculate nucleus following interruption of prenatal binocular competition. Human Neurobiology 3: 103–107
8. Chalupa LM, Williams RW, Henderson Z (1984) Binocular interaction in the fetal cat regulates the size of the ganglion cell population. Neuroscience 12: 1139–1146
9. Williams RW, Rakic P (1985) Dispersion of growing axons within the optic nerve of the embryonic monkey. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA 82: 3906–3910
10. Williams RW, Crabtree, JW, Chalupa LM, Spear PD, Kornguth SE (1985) Selectivity of antibody-mediated destruction of retinal ganglion cell axons. Brain Research 336: 57–66
11. Williams RW, Bastiani MJ, Lia B, Chalupa LM (1986) Growth cones, dying axons, and developmental fluctuations in the fiber population of the cat’s optic nerve. Journal of Comparative Neurology 246: 32–69 .
12. Lia B, Williams RW, Chalupa LM (1986) Does axonal branching contribute to the overproduction of optic nerve fibers during early development of the cat’s visual system. Developmental Brain Research 25:296–301
13. Lia B, Williams RW, Chalupa LM (1987) Formation of retinal ganglion cell topography during prenatal development. Science 236:848–851
14. Williams RW, Rakic P (1988) Elimination of neurons from the lateral geniculate nucleus of rhesus monkeys during development. Journal of Comparative Neurology 272:424–436
15. Williams RW, Rakic P (1988) Three-dimensional counting: An accurate and direct method to estimate cell numbers in sectioned material. Journal of Comparative Neurology 278:344–352
16. Wikler KC, Williams RW, Rakic P (1990) Photoreceptor mosaic: Number and distribution of rods and cones in the rhesus monkey retina. Journal of Comparative Neurology:297:499–508
17. Williams RW, Borodkin M, Rakic P (1991) Growth cone distribution patterns in the optic nerve of fetal monkeys: Implications for mechanisms of axonal guidance. Journal of Neuroscience 11: 1081–1094
18. Rakic, P., Suñer I, Williams RW (1991) A novel cytoarchitectonic area induced experimentally within the primate visual cortex. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA 88: 2083–2087
19. Williams RW (1991) The human retina has a cone-enriched rim. Visual Neuroscience 6:403–406
20. Williams RW, Goldowitz D (1992) Structure of clonal and polyclonal cell arrays in chimeric mouse retina. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA 89: 1184–1188
21. Williams RW, Cavada C, Reinoso-Suárez F (1993) Rapid evolution of the visual system: A cellular assay of the retina and dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the Spanish wildcat and the domestic cat. Journal of Neuroscience 13:208–228
22. Williams RW, Hogan D, Garraghty PE (1994) Target recognition and visual maps in the thalamus of achiasmatic mutant dogs. Nature 367:637–639; and see New and Views article by R.W. Guillery, Nature 367:597–598
23. Williams RW (1994) The Portable Dictionary of the Mouse Genome: A personal database for gene mapping and molecular biology. Mammalian Genome: 5:372-375. See . This short paper’s main claim to fame is that it is the earliest publication in PubMed to list a web site URL (“http://”) in the abstract.
24. Brilliant MB, Williams RW, Conti C, Angel J, Holdener BC (1994) Mouse chromosome 7. Mammalian Genome 5: S104–S123
25. Dell'Osso LF, Williams RW (1995) Ocular motor abnormalities in achiasmatic mutant Belgian sheepdogs: Unyoked eye movements in a mammal. Vision Research: 35:109–116
26. Scheetz AJ, Williams RW, Dubin MW (1995) Severity of ganglion cell death during early postnatal development is modulated by neuronal activity and binocular competition. Visual Neuroscience 12:605–610
27. Hogan D, Williams RW (1995) Analysis of the retinas and optic nerves of achiasmatic Belgian sheepdogs. Journal of Comparative Neurology: 352:367–380
28. Rice DS, Williams RW, Goldowitz D (1995) Genetic control of retinal projections in inbred strains of albino mice. Journal of Comparative Neurology 354: 459–469
29. Rice DS, Williams RW, Harris B, Bailey PW, Davisson MT, Goldowitz D (1995) Mapping the Bst mutation on mouse Chromosome 16: A model for human optic atrophy. Mammalian Genome 6:546–548
30. Hogan D, Garraghty PE, Williams RW (1996) Lamination and visual topography in the lateral geniculate nucleus of normal and achiasmatic dogs. European Journal of Anatomy 1:3–11
31. Ezer AD, Williams RW, Goldowitz D (1996) Arbitrary primer PCR of dog DNA with estimates of average heterozygosity. Journal of Heredity 87:450–455
32. Goldowitz D, Rice DS, Williams RW (1996) Clonal architecture of the mouse retina. Progress in Brain Research 108: 2–15
33. Brilliant MH, Williams RW, Holdener BC, Angel JM (1996) Mouse chromosome 7. Mammalian Genome 6: S135–S150
34. Hamvas R, Trachtulec Z, Forejt J, Williams RW, Artzt K, Fischer-Lindahl K., Silver LM (1996) Mouse chromosome 17. Mammalian Genome 6: S281–S299
35. Williams RW, Strom RC, Rice DS, Goldowitz D (1996) Genetic and environmental control of retinal ganglion cell number in mice. Journal of Neuroscience 16: 7193–7205
36. Rice DS, Tang Q, Williams RW, Harris B, Davisson MT, Goldowitz D (1997) Retinal ganglion cell loss and misdirect axon growth associated with fissure defects in Bst mutant mice. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 38:2112–2124
37. Williams RW, Strom RC, Goldowitz D (1998) Natural variation in neuron number in mice is linked to a major quantitative trait locus on Chr 11. Journal of Neuroscience 18:138–146
38. Williams RW, Holdener BC, Angel JM, Oakey R, Hunter K (1998) Mouse chromosome 7. Mammalian Genome 8:S136–159.
39. Strom, RC, Williams RW (1998) Cell production and cell death in the generation of normal variation in neuron number. Journal of Neuroscience 18:9948–9953
40. Dell'Osso, LF Williams RW, Jacobs JB, Erchul DM (1998) The congenital and see-saw nystagmus in the prototypical achiasma of canines: comparison to the human achiasmatic prototype. Vision Research 38:1629–1641