Education

Research Statement

The reason I became interested in earning a Ph. D. is that it provides the best opportunity to allow me to teach and do research at the collegiate level. I was specifically interested in an academic position at a university that emphasizes both teaching and research. I think there is a real difference between a researcher and a professor in that a researcher is not necessarily a good teacher, but I consider a good professor to be both. My research mentor was Dr. William Shafer in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Emory University. We investigated efflux pumps in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and how these pumps confer antimicrobial resistance. Briefly, we have three transcriptional regulators (i.e. global regulators) that may control the expression of other genes in gonococci. We utilized DNA chip technology to investigate whether these transcriptional regulators are controlling genes involved in efflux activity and/or other physiological processes.  I feel the FIRST program more than adequately prepared me for the type of career that I desired in academia because it provided some similar responsibilities that you would encounter as an assistant professor in academia.

Current Grant Support

Funding Agency: NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Grant Number: 1SC2AI081656-01A1
Project title:  Modulation of Virulence Determinants Contributing to Gonococcal Pathogenesis
Project Period: 8/1/2008-7/31/2011
Total Award: $225,000

Funding Agency:  NSF – Collaborative Grant with Duke University
Project Title:   Genome Wide Root Analysis
Project Period:  8/1/2008-7/31/2012
Total Award:  $160,000

Recent Publications

Williams, D. and Clamp, J.C. (2007) A Molecular Phylogenetic Investigation of Opisthonecta and related genera (Ciliophora, Peritrichia, Sessilida). J. Eukary. Microbiol. 54(3):317-23.

Clamp, J.C. and Williams, D. (2006) A molecular Phylogenetic Investigation of Zoothamnium (Ciliophora, Peritrichia, Sessilida). J. Eukary. Microbiol. 53(6):494-8.

Hoffmann, K.M., Williams, D., Shafer, W.M., Brennan, R.G. (2005) Characterization of the multiple transferable resistance repressor, MtrR, from Neisseria gonorrhoeae. J Bacteriol.187(14):5008-12.

Williams, D. and Brown, J.W. (2004) In vitro selection of an archaeal RNase P RNA mimics natural variation. Archaea. 1(4): 241-245.

Harris, J.K., Haas, E.S., Williams, D., Frank, F.N., and Brown, J.W. (2000) New Insights into RNAse P RNA structure from comparative analysis of the archaeal RNA. RNA. vol. 7(2): 220-232.

Williams, D. and Brown, J.W. (1999) Characterization of a Chimeric Archaeal RNase P RNA. Nucleic Acids Research Symposium Series. (41): 184-186.

Department of Biology
North Carolina Central University
1801 Fayetteville St.
Durham, NC 27707
Office Phone: 919.530.6541
Lab Phone: 919.530.6538
Fax: 919.530.7773
Email: dwilliams@nccu.edu