Molecular Biology of Nematode Parasites and Neglected Tropical Diseases


 



Williams Lab, 2022/2023

The Williams lab focuses on research designed to elucidate the molecular biology of the parasites that cause elephantiasis and African river blindness. Most of our research relates in one way or another to the goal of eliminating these diseases that afflict 200 million people worldwide. We also study animal parasites that infect endangered wildlife.


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Steve discusses the Zika virus with the GrĂ©court Gate.  Click here to read the interview and learn how we are working in the lab to address this emerging disease.


Click here to hear a Closer Look interview with Professor Williams about using molecular techniques developed in our lab for screening mosquitoes for neglected tropical diseases in the field.  We are doing amazing things in the Williams lab!


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Watch this video from the Task Force of Global Health that speaks to why we do what we do in our lab.  It’s important to never forget the people we serve and this video does a great job of reminding us of that.  Look for Steve, who makes a couple of cameo appearances in the film!


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Click here to read an excellent article on our lab’s work in the GrĂ©court Gate called Front Line Science: Smith Lab Plays Key Part in Fighting Neglected Tropical Diseases


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Congratulations!!  to Caroline Keroack for winning Best Student Oral Presentation at the New England Association of Parasitologists meeting on November 11.  Caroline  presented Analysis of potential spread of seal heartworm (Acanthocheilonema spirocauda) using molecular techniques by Keroack, C., Williams, K., Tsekitsidou, E., DeAngelis, K., Uddin, R., & Williams, S.


 

Exciting news in the world of parasitology!  The Nobel Prize for Medicine was shared by three scientists, two of whom were honored “for their discoveries concerning a novel therapy against infections caused by roundworm parasites”1

Listen here for Steve’s interview on WBUR’s Here and Now discussing the importance of their discovery.


Supplies for South Sudan

Supplies for South Sudan

The lab was recently featured on Smith College’s Facebook page for some cool work helping to send scientific supplies to South Sudan.  Click here to view the post.

 


 

Earlier this year, Steve was selected to give the Katherine Asher Engel Lecture.  Details on his talk, Breaking the Cycle of Poverty and Illness, can be found here.

 

 

 


1“The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2015”. Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media AB 2014. Web. 6 Oct 2015.